I Love You Now
by Mrpointyhorns
Summary: MPreg Character death, sort of JoeyxSeto RB YYY TD. The thoughts and prayers when two men are in desparate need during a birth complication. Can Seto make it threw the trials of fatherhood alone? Of course not. But he might make it with help
1. Chapter 1

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Warning: Mpreg character death

Summary: Seto reflects while losing Jou to birthing complications

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I love you.

Now.

The inhuman cry sounded through the room, making my blood run cold as I tried my best to stay under control. I watched my blonde lover pant desperately, trying to fight for air, and the screaming was not helping, and it just took his breath away. 'Stop screaming you idiot, why can't you just stop screaming? It's not your fault, it's his, he did this to himself, and he's the one that wouldn't stop screaming. Just please, I…'

The doctor's worked desperately, for hours now; it could not take this long, could it? What was going on, why was there so much blood?

"Uh-uh I…" I leaned in closer as tears streamed down my puppy's face, trying to keep the two of us distracted from what the doctors were doing.

"P-please I-make…PLEASE!" He screamed out again and he clutched my hand as pain shot through him. "Make it." He closed his eyes, thrashing about, trying to do anything for the pain. Why couldn't they give him something for the pain, someone help him, he needs help! I glanced to the doctors rushing about, trying to do everything they could, and even if my tongue was not stuck to the roof of my mouth I wouldn't have the guts to stop them from their work. "Go away…" He breathed, innocently gritting his teeth as he tried his best to stop crying. His face began to pale, and he choked and sputtered, groping for any kind of air. Again I had to look away from him, I couldn't watch this. The doctors were not nearly finished cutting into him, they just kept going further. It was like they had never delivered a baby before!

"Stop!" He whimpered, withering, but I don't even want to see that. Usually I like to see him withering, but not like this.

"Jou." I brushed the bangs out of his eyes trying to give him hope of any kind. "It's alright, just…"

"Seto, I'm so sorry." He gasped, tears streaming down faster than ever. That was not helping his breathing, either. Why was he doing this, what was wrong with him?

"I should never have fought with you. And I'm sorry; I wish we had gotten on better in High School. I love you so much. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." What's the mutt talking about, those things did not matter anymore. They never really mattered anyway, never. Why was he acting like this, what was wrong with him? Couldn't he see that they were trying to operate? Stop apologizing for things that don't matter!

"I love you Seto, please, you love me?" I stared down at him. It wasn't like I never said it to him anymore; it wasn't like I had trouble expressing my emotions. Of course I loved him! Why was he acting like this, what was he doing? Why was he pleading with me so much with his eyes? Why was there so much blood? There isn't supposed to be that much blood. He didn't have enough already. Stop that, you're making him bleed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH." Stop screaming! Please someone just help him!

"Say it Seto please, please." Katsuya grabbed me closer, drawing all my attention to him, and just him for that moment.

"I- I lo…"

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIL!" The shriek interrupted me and my attention was diverted again. The baby, it was here, it was…so disgusting. Ackk, what was all that slime and stuff on it? I made a face as they asked if I wanted to cut the cord. Shrugging, they managed on their own as they brought the gift to be cleaned, thank God! Curiously I began to follow the doctors, was it a boy or a girl, did they have blue eyes? Chocolate? Would it have his smile? Did it have ten fingers and ten toes? Would it like the blue-eyed-dragon plushy that I had managed to get at the gift shop before arriving here?

"You have to leave now." One of the doctors pushed in front of me, as I had nearly made it over to see my pride, joy, heir. I gave the "I'm-Seto-Kaiba-so-if-you-want-to-keep-your-job-move" look, but it didn't work! It always worked!

"You have to go; there were complications and we…well…" He glanced around me over towards Jou. Suddenly I found myself in the waiting room, I'm not really sure how it happened, but shock is what they said it was, it was just shock.

Yugi stared up at me with big watery eyes, they knew, it was too long and something had to have happened but I-I didn't even know what. It was because of him, he kept screaming and he shouldn't have been screaming and he, he, all the blood, why had there been soo much blood, his blood, that was suppose to be mine! He's mine, you hear me, that's my blood! You can't take my blood! Knees buckling I slipped to the floor, tears welled up in my eyes and his friends blurred out of vision as I tried to keep calm. I had to, I couldn't cry, this wasn't suppose to happen, not like this, we were suppose to be a family...

Arms enveloped me suddenly and my head found my brother's chest. I couldn't help but weep. It was over; it was all over before it ever really started. I knew it, no one had to tell me, I saw what was going on, he was in pain and no one helped him. Why didn't anyone help him? Why couldn't they help him? Did he do something wrong? What did he ever do to them? Maybe it was me? Was it me, did they hate me?


	2. Chapter 2

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Warning: Mpreg character death

Summary: Seto reflects while losing Jou to birthing complications

Oh, gods it hurts so much. I've never felt like this before. I scrambled desperately to hold on, but as he walked from me the pain caved into my chest. I wanted to cry again but I just couldn't manage. I had done something improbable, I had given Seto Kaiba his child, that had to be enough, but it didn't feel like enough now. Slowly the pain began to drift, the colors merging as it swirled into black and sound disappeared, it was just my heart; that was all. A beat far too slow to be a normal pulse.

Gods, I wish I would have told Seto I loved him more. I wish I hadn't taken so long to admit my feelings for him. I should have brought lunch to his office more. I should have spent more time holding and hugging him. I should have never said I was too tired for sex; I should have wanted it every night, to be with him in every way. Was it too late to try? What happened to things that were left unsaid? Those are the words that are most important. Why couldn't I have just said them? Now they would never be heard, they would go on for all time as lost words and he would never know how much I cared about him. Everything about him, he could never do anything wrong, ever. I wish I hadn't fought with him so much. I can't get that time back, ever, Gods please, and I just want those moments back. I want them back. I want them, they were mine! I want those kisses.

There was so much I never did, I should have done it. Things I knew he needed. That he honestly needed, that I should have given to him. But I didn't. And the things he wanted more then anything, those little moments snuggled up on the couch, those innocent gestures that I just couldn't bear in public. I should have given it to you. But I didn't. Why? It seems so…wrong now.

Oh, Gods, Seto, I have to go now. I have to leave you, I'm so sorry. I will never really leave you, I will always be there, but I have to go away. I can't stay here, it wouldn't work. It doesn't happen like that. Not in real life anyway. In real life, miracles are remembering to put sugar in your tea. The little things, nothing like this, that's what they are. I'm sorry. I want to stay but I can't, I have to go. But you'll make it, you have to. You have a little life in you, I know it won't feel like it, but you'll have a little strength and you have to hold onto it. I have to go.

Now.

I love you.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Chapter 2

"RA! No, please—No!" Seto's voice was nearly gone because he wouldn't stop screaming. People stared, worse than when Jou had been eight months along. No one else's feelings really mattered, it didn't matter how hard the tears fell from Yugi. His sister's pain was less then half of the former High Priest's. Jou's childhood friend could only pretend to be strong but it did not match.

The sixteen-year-old raven haired boy decided to take control because it was the only thing to keep him busy and Seto was not about to do it. He conversed with the doctors with Seto screaming in the background. He brought the baby and father home. Their friends went to their own homes for a few hours to rest, before they would come back to do what they could to help. The distraught Seto paced behind Mokuba as he made the appropriate phone calls and watched over the infant in the car seat on the table.

"I didn't tell him, I didn't! He asked me! And I just said nothing. NOTHING! Why does RA hate me! What did I do? I'm cursed, I killed him. I did it." His eyes narrowed at the resting baby, _that_ horrible beast, was what did it. _That_ took him away but he couldn't hate _that_, he could hate himself and Jou, those stupid doctors but not _that_. "Mokuba!"

The boy jumped dropping his pen on the floor and the phone to the receiver. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making arrangements Seto." Mokuba reminded as calmly as he could. "Someone has to."

"Don't bother. He's not dead. That's a lie he'll return." Seto laughed, a bit deranged, Mokuba wondered if he was getting lessons from Bakura or Marik. "He's not dead, don't worry. Any moment he'll coming waltzing in with that sickenly adorable lopsided smile talking about one friend or the other."

"No, Seto! He wont. He's dead, gone, departed, deceased, over, finished, no more, obsolete, ended, over, done with, extinct, D-E-A-D. I'm sorry, but its true and I wish it wasn't, I loved him so much and you did even more, but dead is when you don't come back!"

"But, I never told him!" He grabbed the boy by the collar shaking him violently. "I never told him, he asked, he asked. Why couldn't I tell him?" The baby began to cry, Seto was shrieking, and Mokuba fought back tears. Seto was breaking down and it scared him. Ra where was Jou when you needed him.

"Yami, I don't want to be here if I won't see Jou." Yugi whimpered as Bakura picked open the door, with all the screaming no one inside could hear them.

"Mokuba will need our help. Beside aibou we must be there for the baby he left behind. He would want you in its life."

Yami tried to explain as Bakura held the door open for Ryou, Tristan, Tea, Duke, Marik, Malik, and Serenity.

The light nodded softly. "Yes, I guess so."

"Ra, its open!" Bakura said his patience with the two thinning. "Easier than getting into Jacob's tomb." Bakura caught the two's attention.

Tea led them into the dinning room. They stared as Seto kept saying something about 'saying nothing' as he shook his baby brother like a rag doll. Bakura smirked with nothing less than amusement. Ryou had reached the infant Kaiba and had gently cradled it to his chest. To Tea's pleasure, she thought the guys would give her that job because she was a girl.

Malik studied the china cabinet and Tristan and Duke both dived at the ringing phone. Yami grabbed Seto by the collar and with the help of Bakura and Marik dragged him out of the room, down the hall into the study, where he was locked in.

"Make sure he doesn't kill himself Bakura!" Marik sang as he skipped back to the first room. Yami followed in less of a gleeful manner.

"Is it a good idea to leave _him_ in charge?" Yugi asked softly as he listened to Duke speak to the church.

"In this state yes, who knows more about what an insane person would do?" Yami smiled. "No, it will help them both."

"I think he's hungry." Ryou said softly, cooing over the now youngest Kaiba.

"I think Seto bought something to feed the baby." Mokuba explained.

"I'll get it." Marik skipped off to the kitchen humming lightly. Glances were exchanged, nervousness filling the room.

"Does he know how to use the microwave?" Tea question, she knew exactly what a non-nursing baby ate. Tristan left to keep an eye on him. Mokaba and Duke played the arranging role. Everyone was willing to help with the baby even though Ryou took the main control. Bakura shared his Seto watch with Yami and Tristan and anyone else who was willing to wrestle a knife from the oldest Kaiba.

"What's the problem?" Tea asked Duke and Mokuba as they sat about the table. Bakura had his feet on the dinning room table his hands folded, Yami sat next to him yawning gracefully. Ryou cooed at the infant as he whimpered for food. The blondes were on bottle duty again, Yugi watched Mokuba's face fall.

"We can't find ground to bury him, and honestly I don't trust the priest." People could be so weird; why couldn't they bury Jou in the ground just because he tried to 'play God' and because men were just not supposed to become pregnant.

"He's in it for the money and to say he did." Duke confirmed.

"If anything happened to my hikari I would only trust him to my tomb." Bakura hissed cleaning his nails with his dragger.

"Don't speak like that!" Yugi snapped causing people to stare at his out burst.

Yami pursued his lips. "That's not a bad idea Bakura. That way they'll go onto the next life."

The tomb-robber nodded, of course it was a good idea it was his after all. "They haven't found that tomb." Ryou piped in from fawning over the baby. "Besides what would one more body matter to you 'Kura."

"Yours matters in everyway." Bakura sneered; slightly questioning glances fell on him. "I buried 1,000 of my men with me!" More looks fell on him. "He buried slaves!" Bakura pointed to Yami. "And his priest!"

"Oh, his high priest?" Mokuba mussed softly.

"He didn't want anyone else to have the pleasure or the suffering he caused, or so the story was told to me."

The glances fell on Yami. "I was dead, how would I know!"

"That would be so romantic, I'll ask Seto." Serenity said softly bumping into Marik on the way out. Malik followed him with the bottle.

"Why do you have to speak like that Yami?" Yugi hushed the former Pharaoh who pulled the boy into his lap petting his head soothingly. Yami leaned down kissing his koi softly, apologetically.

"I don't want to see that!" Tea scolded. Yami glared as Yugi pulled away and cuddled into his arms.

"Ryou." Malik handed the bottle to him. A loud pop filled the room causing the raven-haired boys to duck under the table. Yami shielded Yugi and the blondes wailed in pain, Ryou winced.

"Don't feed the baby that!" Bakura snarled to the boys. Scalding milk sizzled against the exposed skin of their arms causing dark blisters to form. Ryou who had been close by earned a few blisters himself.

"We thought if it was hotter he wouldn't be as hungry as often." Marik explained while Malik nodded.

"You could have banished the milk as well," Malik snidely.

"Ba, you know nothing about babies. I wanted you to learn your lesson." The tomb-robber growled summoning the bottle back. "I will get the mixture."

"No, I've heard stories about you and household appliances." Tea argued earning nods from the boys who emerged from under the table.

"Those were just stories." That answer, not satisfying anyone, he took another route. "I watched Ryou." He stalked out of the room before anyone else could complain.

"He'll make a good father." Mokuba stated. Ryou beamed happily but everyone else stared at him. The dark spirits soon fell over in laughter imagining the thief as a father.

"You don't want children?" Ryou squeaked. Yugi shook his head violently Yami raised a brow at the reaction.

"I'll just steal one if I really wanted one." Marik muttered, the albino pulled the baby closer to him and left to help Bakura.

A shriek was heard from the den followed by a crash. People rushed out of the dinning room to watch Ryou dodge out of the way of Tristan and Serenity who tumbled out of the den with an enraged Seto.

"Don't call me by that name!"

"But Seto, it's your name?" Serenity whispered she hadn't even gotten to explaining why she had come in yet.

"No! That's what he called me. I don't want to hear anything about him!"

"Kaiba calm down." Tristan tried, as the baby began to cry because of all of the noises.

"Ahhh Don't call me that either!"

"Fine then, your majesty, just relax." Tristan said mockingly.

"YAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" The two fled, Tristan found Duke's protective arms.

Yami stepped forward. "He just doesn't stop. He goes on and on. He didn't tell him. What the hell didn't he tell him? Fuck should I know!" Tristan broke into tears. "He was my friend too. I grew up with him. He was my-my brother. But I can't suffer; I have to watch over fucking Kaiba! I want to cry over it, I want to throw fits too. I want to grieve when is it my turn!" This swept Yugi and Serenity into a fit of tears, loud sobs echoing over the rants of Tristan and the screaming of the two Kaiba babies.

"RA! Shut up!" Malik shrieked. "He just died, he's not even really that important!" He covered his ears dropping to his knees howling over and over about deaths, murders, and the like. His darkness backed off slightly. The three still cried just as loudly and Tea joined them. Mokuba twitched nervously, he could not break down. Seto was still roaring in agony and the baby wailed away, despite Ryou's cooing.

Yami reached the exhausted Seto. "Rest now, Sorcerer." He touched his shoulder and the CEO passed out. Bakura emerged handing Ryou the bottle and turning towards the screaming group.

Yami shut the door to the last spare room. "Did you have to put Yugi to rest?" He asked the tomb-robber as he emerged from placing the dice master in a room.

"They all needed rest they were suffering. Your light the most, it will be easier for all of us if they do."

"You left your light awake." Marik growled tapping his foot in front of him.

"I don't know how to take care of a baby!" Bakura whined wrapping his arms around said boy and infant. "Besides, he has been sleeping well considering."

"And Mokuba?" Yami quizzed.

"I like him. Beside which, he has work to finish." Bakura nodded to the ebony haired boy.

The spirits nodded. "Well, let's go down to finish up. I believe if Marik and Bakura threaten people we can get him buried."

Marik and Bakura glanced at each other and dashed down the stairs to the phone. The five eventually settled in the living room, it would only be a few more days before the funeral would take place. Ryou lay against his koi as he gently rocked the cradle with his foot.

"He sleeps, you too should sleep." Bakura cooed to his other half rubbing soothing hands over him.

"Hmmm—OK." He yawned snuggling into his lover.

Yami watched patiently as the only ones remaining awake were the spirits. The three gazed at each other, only something like this would cause such calm between the bitter rivals.

"He'll want one, 'Kura. And Yugi says you can't steal them."

Bakura stroked the smaller boy's cheek. "If that is what he wants. I know it comes as a risk but as a thief its common practice."

"You're brave. I would never let my hikari, not after what happened to the mutt." Marik mused softly. He watched the soft rise and falls of Mokuba's chest as he slept across the room.

"It's still hard to believe that Jou's not really with us." Yami sighed loudly. Jou was one of the only people he completely trusted, a rare quality in this time.

"Mmm I rather liked him. He hardly ever made me wish I had sent him to the shadow realm." The dark spirits sighed in agreement, Jou was such a big part of their live, and his could be the beginning of the end, of the friendship.

"D-duke?" Tristan muttered stretching out on the bed they so easily shared. When had they begun to share like this? They were friends true, but not friends that shared a bed. The dice master, gently pet his soft hair. "What do you think Jou is thinking about? Is he watching us and wondering what the hell we're doing?"

"Hmmm- No, I think he would be sad. We lost one friend that day Tris, he-lost a lifetime of friendship. He lost the time he should have had with each of us and the baby. But mostly he'd just want everyone to live on. He'd hate for people to be losing moments over him." Duke leaned over the other man rubbing his cheek bone. "He'd be thinking we were fools for letting our pride take the little time we have together."

"Pride… what do you..." Moist lips reached his, the brunette wiggled closer as a tongue moved to whip at his bottom lip.

Waking up to find himself in his bed he turned about, maybe, possibly it had just been a dream of his insecurities. He sat up glancing around their room it looked the same as always. The picture on their dresser smiled goofily at him. His side of the bed still held the fresh scent of his shampoo. Then it was so, his Jou. He was, he was alive. "Jou?" a hoarse voice filled the room. Was that his voice? Why was his throat so raw? Why did it ache, why did his head pound? How come Jou didn't come when he called for him? Trudging to the bathroom he gurgled some warm saltwater, reality hit him; this was not a dream it was real life. Jou was taken from him, dead.

He bent over the sink spitting out the water, his hand on the faucet supporting his weight. Dead, he wasn't coming back. He could call and call, No! His eyes stung as he turned his head from the thought, too abruptly, and clunked his eye socket with the faucet. "Jou." A cracked, dead voice from days of crying. He rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand. Biting back a cry of pain, tears began to form yet again.

Jou was not coming back.

Green bile hit the rim of the toilet, heaving from his chest as tears streaked down his face. The thought had made him physically sick.

"Jou." He fell to his knees as the acid burned at his already sore throat. "I can live without you, I just don't want to."

Seto ran the back of his hand under his nose. "I love you Jou." He breathed softly, flushing the defiled toilet, the brunette trudged back to his room. Slowly he moved over to the picture of Jou, Mokuba, and himself. Such a little family, so much love, not enough time. Seto stared into the chocolate eyes that no longer held the same spark of his lover. Tears splattered onto the glass blurring the happiness. "RAAA!" He shrieked, whipping around and sending the picture threw the window, shattering it. Broken into loud sobs, Seto buried himself into his pillow, sobbing like a child, weeping for all he was. Sniff, that, that smell? He blinked about and cautiously took Jou's pillow pulling it closer to him wrapping his arms around it sucking softly on the case. Exhausted he fell back into the dream, there Jou was still alive.

Big eyes blinked up at Bakura as the darkness wondered if he should wake anyone. Even the other spirits went to rest in their soul rooms, even if they didn't have to sleep. Bakura would have gone but his light was currently cuddled against him, or he was until the baby began to fidget, then curiosity got the better of him and he slid out from under Ryou to see.

"What do you need little thing?" He reached in to pick up the baby and then stopped; he was so small Bakura feared breaking him.

Suddenly Yugi entered the room, stretching and yawning.

"The baby wants something!" Bakura accused before he could be blamed for anything. The smaller boy moved over picking up the baby for about the first time, considering that Ryou took over doing that.

The baby sighed snuggling into Yugi. "Where is Yami?"

"He was tired; he left to his soul room."

The other boy looked as if he was confirming the fact and then smiled brightly. "He is so cute. Are you prepared to have one?"

"Yes, I have to be." Bakura glanced over to his partner. "Don't you want one?"

"I did, but Jou is-was…" His lip trembled. "My best friend and…" He squeaked. "I'm so scared now. I'm afraid to; it wouldn't be worth it if I just died." Tears stung his eyes. He held the infant closer to him. "And I don't want to lose Ryou, you can't make him. I won't let you."

Said boy stirred, as he watched Bakura stutter his way threw a response. "You think I do, but if its how he wants it. I want him happy, a baby will do that."

Both were startled by laughing, Ryou giggled at them. Tears coming from the strength of the laughter, "I do not want a baby yami."

"What?" He stood shocked. "No?"

"No, I mean sure I want one some day. But, I'm so young I want to have fun when I'm young. That baby needed someone to take care of him. He is innocence and young, a blameless victim. I just wanted to help the best way I could. Jou and Seto have cute babies."

"Oh." The tomb-robber looked away sadly; he had never been a father before it looked kind of nice.

"One day 'Kura, when we're ready, we'll think about it. I now _know_ you can take care of babies. That's what really matters." He smiled earning a grim response, his smile dropped.

"We could practice making one?"

"How's that?" Yugi giggled at Bakura's confused expression.

"You don't know?"

"If I knew we'd be doing just that." Bakura growled as Ryou joined Yugi in laughter.

"Come on its not new to you." Ryou stood dragging him from the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Warning: Mpreg character death

Summary: Seto decides to bury himself in his work leaving Mokuba to take care of his unnamed son. Yugi and the other agree to help when it just becomes too much for the teen can Seto over come his loss and be the father he intended to be from the start.

Seeing Jou's body stiffly lying in the coffin brought reality crashing down to everyone. It was finally over, the life they had known; it would never be the same. Mokuba and Seto arrived home, alone this time. It was sort of nice to have the house void of the pack but it made it all the more heartbreaking that Jou wasn't there.

Seto roughly place his child that was in the car seat, at the door, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it on top of him. Mokuba was shocked to watch Seto climb the stairs to his room, leaving the baby to fend for himself. Sighing the raven-haired uncle decided to take control. He was not going to be able to soothe his heart yet he had a baby to take care of. Bringing the cradle into his room he put the sleeping infant in the basket before retiring himself. Tomorrow he would speak to Seto.

However, Seto did the only thing he could to numb the pain; he buried himself in his work! When Mokuba awoke the next morning Seto was already gone. Mokuba groaned he was exhausted from the previous week, and from having to get up every few hours the night before. But he wasn't going to let the baby be neglected. He wondered briefly what would happen if he was not around. Seto would probably give him away, but that was not fair either. Jou didn't die so Seto could neglect fatherhood. He would just have to speak to Seto in the evening.

But, surprise, surprise Seto did not come home and he did not come home and he did not come home. Mokuba was pulling his hair out by the end of the week he could have called his friends; however he did not want to burden them so much.

It was at the end of the week that Seto came home and locked himself in his home office. Mokuba took the opportunity to corner him; he soon learned never to corner something that can bite.

"Seto, where have you been?" He asked.

"I've been working. I've had a week or so work to catch up on." Seto snorted clacking away at his laptop.

"It couldn't have been _that_ much. You've taken off before and you have never done this. I spent the entire week taking care of _your_ baby."

"He's not mine. I want nothing to do with that thing. That murderer."

"He's not a murderer!" Mokuba gaped. "No, Seto that wasn't anyone's fault. I can't take care of him I'm sixteen! He's your baby! He's yours, you're his father, and can't you just act like it a little bit!"

"I have to work Mokie. I'm sorry. I just don't have time for him." He sneered.

"That's bullshit Seto, you raised me. He's your son, you haven't even named him."

"That was Jou's job!"

"Oh good let me go ask him. Oh wait I can't, he's dead! You wanted this Seto; you asked for it, you wanted a family!"

Seto cringed. "You think I wanted this, to have my heart ripped out of my chest. To lose my love, partner, and spouse for that fucker! No, Mokuba this isn't what I wanted."

"It's not what you wanted. But it is what you have, life doesn't play favorites Seto, it doesn't some how see that you're rich and handsome so it better not mess with you. This is your life now. Your son is your life."

Seto narrowed his eyes at his little brother and turned back to his computer. "I don't father murderers."

Mokuba was miffed in such away he could not think of anything to say, very unKaiba like so he did another Kaiba thing and stormed out. He was so upset he did not speak to his brother the entire weekend. He just took care of the unnamed child. But on Monday he had to go to school. And Seto still refused to have anything to do with his son.

Mokuba knew he couldn't leave him alone but missing two weeks was way too much already! So biting his pride he went over to Yugi's game shop before classes. The shop had just opened and he was the first person to enter.

"Oh what a cute baby," Solomon said once Mokuba place him and car seat on the counter. Yugi and his grandpa cooed over him for a while.

"Grandpa loves babies!" Yugi said when the man took the baby into the back of the shop showing him different things.

"Yugi, I have to go to school so I can't watch the baby. I don't want to be a burden but Seto-well he- he doesn't want to have anything to do with him. He completely blames him for Jou's death so if you could, I'll get him as soon as school ends and…"

"Don't worry Mokuba we'd love to help. That's why we're friends, and you are not burdening us in any way. But, what will you do with him tomorrow?" Yugi smiled reassuringly.

"Well, I was going to call everyone else tonight and get him a sitter everyday this week. I'd hire someone but I saw the 60 minutes show on nannies and I want him to know you guys as much as he would have if Jou was here."

"Sounds great! I'll have Yami call around while you're in school." Yugi nodded happily. "Don't worry. Seto will come around I'm sure!"

Mokuba sighed, exhausted. "Thanks Yug'. Here's his bag, there should be enough bottles, just heat them up, but not too hot! Diapers are in the front, he sleeps well in the car seat or in your arms. And please don't call Marik and Malik, whatever you do, not them!" Yugi laughed lightly and watched him leave the shop.

"Grandpa we get to watch the baby all day!" Yugi beamed happily.

"Oh good, babies always attract customers and I just love them, they're so cute!" He smiled happily. "Only you forgot to ask the name."

Yugi frowned. "Oh right, well we'll just call him Kaiba until we know his name."

"Whose Kaiba?" Yami came down from the house tugging down his shirt. Yugi explained everything to him quickly.

"Alright, Serenity is tomorrow, Tristan and Duke said Wednesday would be fine, Tea's taking Thursday." Yami watched Yugi scribble the list down a few hours later. "Did you know Duke was with Tristan?"

"I suspected something like that." Yugi explained as his Grandpa put the sleeping infant in his car seat. "I'll call Ryou to see about Friday then."

"Hi Yugi, it's good to hear from you, what's going on?" Ryou said upon answering the phone.

"Mokuba needs help watching the baby when he's in school. I already have Serenity, Tea, Duke and Tristan helping out; could you watch him on Friday?"

"Hold on let me ask Bakura-san." Ryou cupped the receiver. "'Kura, you want to watch Seto's baby Friday?"

"No!" Bakura growled glaring angrily at the phone. Ryou frowned. "They should have asked us first. I am much better with the baby then they are."

Ryou hid a smile. "At least they asked us. Besides everyone wants to help and we shouldn't be selfish. Serenity is his aunt and we did spend, or rather I, spent most my time with him the first week."

"Still, no. They should know we're the best for him and have asked us first so I don't want to."

Ryou sighed. "Yugi? Bakrua says he doesn't want to."

"I heard." Yugi agreed. "Sorry, we should have asked you first. Just Yami did all the calling and…"

"What's that, you'll have to get Marik to watch him?"

"Huh, no Ryou we…"

"Yami says they'd probably be better at it anyway?"

"Yami never said…"

"He says he always knew he'd make the better father. AND Bakura is a coward!"

"What, I'm no coward! Tell that idiot we'll do it then, we'll see who the better father is!" Bakura snarled.

Yugi giggled. "Thanks I'll relay the message."

So it was settled into a routine every Monday through Friday the group would take turns watching the baby and Mokuba still took care of him at night and on the weekends. Seto still stayed at Kaiba Corp most nights. This, in truth, was a blessing. When Jou died, people stopped talking and they probably would have grown apart if not for the fact that now they all cared about what happened to the baby. Bringing the group back together and knitting their ties whole. Still, three months along and the baby with out a proper first name had some mad at Seto, but some in away understood, some still thought he'd come around. Of course he did.

One evening, Mokuba was in the middle of doing his homework and he had so much that he could not watch the baby. Bravely, he ventured to the den where Seto was watching, 'The Apprentice' (He could watch that) reruns in his boxers and a throw over shirt.

"Seto?" Mokuba put the baby on the couch cushion next to his. "I have to finish my homework. I just fed and changed him, so he shouldn't be a problem. Can you watch him for a few hours?"

Seto did not reply, but Mokuba took the silence as agreement and left. Usually the baby did not cry unless really neglected, which he never was, so he would know, even from upstairs if the baby needed him.

Blue eyes locked with blue eyes as they stared, the television becoming nothing but noise in the background.

"Hmmph, you're not that cute. What's everyone so fond of?" He leaned over the baby sliding a hand behind his near bald head. "I hate that I can't hate you. You took Jou away from me, but I could never hate you. I wanted you after all. I always wanted a baby that I could raise like I never was. And Mokie is almost all grown and I didn't want to be left alone. Then Jou came he really wanted you too. I mean he _really_ wanted you. And we were so happy when we found out. Gods, it was so perfect, we were going to spoil you rotten and love you always." Seto rested his forehead on the arm rest over the baby smiling down to him. "I've been so selfish though, how can I take care of you when I cannot- I did not take care of him for you? You'll never know him, never see how pretty he was, how much he would have loved you. But, I guess you're still lucky I never had any parents, not for long anyway. But you can still have one, I can still be yours, I still love you. I don't even know you but I already know I love you and that's so hard for me, love. Hmmm…if I keep going like this you'll be one of those kids who hate their fathers huh? Don't hate me please?" Seto stroked a hand from the top of the baby's head down to his chest over his feet. "You're going to have blonde hair. Jou always wanted you to have his hair and my eyes. He was also going to name you. I found a list he made a few weeks ago. I don't know why he wrote them down, although he did have a few and some were crossed out so I'll just have to pick one of those." Seto sat up and pulled the baby into his arms. "I always wanted a baby and you're him, you're mine."

Mokuba smiled at the baby monitor in his room before breaking into tears, now, finally, he could breakdown and miss his brother-in-law.

Seto began to bring the baby into his office, he had a playpen put in there and even when he was told about the daycare on the 6th floor he still wanted to keep him there with him. He reluctantly still let his friends help when they wanted too; after being threatened by Serenity to let her spend time with her nephew. Bakura even cowered at the girl's rage though he would not admit it now. Most the time Seto was having to say no to babysitters rather then asking for them. In the end Mokuba put a time chart up to keep everyone happy, even though Seto didn't think he needed one for his own son.


	4. Chapter 4

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Warning: Mpreg character death

Summary: Bonus chapter I didn't post last time. It's Dray's third Birthday but everyone seems to being having much more fun at the party then him. He's just satisfied eating the animal crackers that Bakura gives him; except for the camels he doesn't like those

_Three years later_

_Dragochi__, or Dray, was turning three, it was his Birthday and Seto pretty much made it a Domino city holiday. After all, half the town worked for him and he gave them the day off, the other half had to take off as well because Seto threatened to shut their power off. Despite that, only friends and family came to the child's party, although most of the city sent the famous youth gifts. But Seto had sent them all back; he did not want it to go to the boy's head. In a previous life he had helped raised the Pharaoh's Son and it had gone to his head, the 'demi-god' had to be sent away and he had to make up some story to bring the 'true' pharaoh into power._

_"Hey Dray." Marik smiled demonically. His light held out a gift for him. "It's a sword." _

_Dray beamed happily. "He doesn't like it Marik?" Malik glared angrily._

_"Of course he does. Remember he's Jou's son he only barks." Marik teased even though Dray was three he never spoke, not once. Seto had it checked out but there was nothing wrong with him, he was just not ready. But it didn't stop the teasing, despite how many people liked him (which was most everyone in Kaiba Corp; everyone enjoyed seeing him about the office)._

_Seto sent a glare at the two for insulting both Jou and his son. "Don't speak about him like that." Bakura fumed angrily very protective of the Kaiba tyke._

_Dray clapped his hands together brightly running over to hug the tomb-robber, snuggling his head into his leg. Seto rolled his eyes; he never understood why Dray was so attached to the tomb-robber, although he and his light did spend most of their time with the youth. Everyone else just teased the old thief who could care less what everyone else thought. He had, when first teased, but now being favorite to Dragochi was just much better then his pride._

_"I got you something and I didn't even steal it." Bakura proclaimed proudly._

_"He didn't I watched him." Ryou thumbed his hand threw the messy platinum blonde hair of the child in Bakura's arms._

_"Hey let us have a turn." Yugi complained._

_"Next time, invite Bakura an hour late so we get a chance to hold him." Tea suggested._

_"Bah, wouldn't work I was here an hour ago." Bakura stuck his tongue out._

_"No way I saw you walk in!" Tristan argued. _

_"So.__ I had to go back for the gifts. Ryou and I were over decorating before." Bakura smartly replied as Dray buried his face in Bakura's neck._

_"OK, let's just get to the games." Mokuba distracted them. "Then dinner, cake and presents."_

_Yami whipped out his cards and got long stares. "What?"_

_"We don't play duel monsters anymore Yami." Yugi softly said watching the disappointment fall onto his face._

_"I didn't know you still carried those." Bakura sneered. Ryou glared at him and pulled Bakura's deck from his pocket. "Ryou you're supposed to be on my side!"_

_"You were saying?" Yami sneered back._

_"I just keep them for luck. If I lost them something bad could happen." Bakura grabbed them back, kissing the deck; Dray kissed the deck as well. "Perfect."_

_"That's my luck." Seto snarled. He wasn't always jealous of Bakura but there were times he couldn't stand sharing his baby. Bakura put Dray on the ground patting his head._

_"We should all give Dray one of our cards!" Serenity sang happily, earning death looks from the battle city finalists._

_"Oh come on it's a good idea." Mokuba agreed. "He will, he could be the next best and this way his friends will always be there with him."_

_Seto rolled his eyes. "He doesn't need to play such a stupid game."_

_Yami fanned out his cards towards the boy. "Pick one." There was no way he was letting Seto tell the kid that it was a stupid game. Dray fanned his hands over the cards curiously before taking one. Everyone glanced over as he turned it face up. A gasp swept over the room as the Red-Eyes of the dragon shined out at them._

_Seto snatched up the card. "Very stupid."_

_"Games then?"__ Mokuba asked curiously. Nods came from the group of friends. "Pair up, wait!" He gasped before couples paired up. "I'll pair you: Bakura and Seto, Ryou and Yami, Yugi and Duke, Tea and Tristan, Malik and Serenity, me and Marik."_

_"Is there a method to your madness?" Marik asked as the pairs got together._

_"Some of them, yea."__ Mokuba grinned evilly._

_Dray glanced about nervously and then rushed over to Seto. "Okay, uh, first a three-legged race."_

_"Wait you're supposed to have someone the same height as you for that." Duke glared down at Yugi._

_"That's right and I refuse to touch Tristan!" Tea scowled._

_"Hey!" Tristan folded his arms pouting._

_Serenity hugged Malik close to her. "I'm sure we can win!" She said to him._

_Malik squirmed trying to push away. "Let go of me."_

_Yami glared death towards Duke even though Mokuba had paired everyone he was still jealous. Bakura feed Dray animal crackers chatting away with the little boy completely obliviously of the bickering partners. _

_"I'm sorry Tristan I just don't know where your hands have been." Tea explained dryly._

_"Up Duke's ass where do you think!"__ He flared back._

_"I didn't know you bottomed." Yugi giggled._

_Duke's green eyes narrowed. "I don't bottom." Tristan raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth. "You shut up!"_

_"I never bottom either." Yugi teased._

_"Yes you do Yugi, remember?" Yami added in, not understanding the fight completely._

_"I'm so glad we're paired together, that way we can become better friends. I know we hardly talk but I'm sure we'll become really close!"_

_"No! I hate you let me go!" _

_"Uh-huh I know in my heart that you don't really feel that way you're so cute."_

_"No I'm not! I hate you! Let me go you stupid girl that I hate!"_

_"You like the tigers don't you?" Bakura asked Dray, he held out the tiger cracker._

_"How about I just shove my hands up your ass and you shut up!" Tea fumed._

_"I know you can't resist me but please there are children in the room." Tristan growled._

_"And I'm paired with one." Duke rolled his eyes to the heavens._

_"I didn't know Yami was a pedophile." Marik laughed whole-heartedly._

_"Shouldn't have a problem being paired with Ryou then."__ Tea supplied._

_"I don't even know what that means!" Yami howled. Ryou whispered in his ear. "Ew no!"_

_"You're so cute. Yes you are. We're going to have so much fun I just know it!"_

_"Dead bunnies, dead puppies, dead sisters of puppies."__ Malik muttered. "Let go of ME!"_

_"Here Seto-kun he doesn't like camels." Bakura handed him a half chewed cracker. Seto chucked it at the bickering group, it landed on Malik's forehead._

_"RAAAAAAAAAAA!"__ Malik squirmed free. "I'm going to kill you all, cut you into pieces and then eat you!"_

_Everyone slowly backed away from him. Serenity laughed hugging him. "You're funny too!"_

_"Perhaps another game?"__ Mokuba asked, no one responded they were all praying for Serenity's life._

_"Here comes the monkey, oo-oo-ah." Bakura danced the cookie towards Dray, everyone blinked at him._

_"I'm never going to be able to take your death threats seriously now." Yami joked and everyone went into a fit of laughter._

_"Baka, I haven't threatened anyone's life in years." Bakura frowned, what was so funny anyway?_

_"How about pictionary?"__ Mokuba asked everyone shrugged. "Alright Tea and Tristan join Yami and Ryou's group, Bakura and Seto can join Serenity and Malik's and that leaves Yugi, Marik, Duke and I this way none of you can use your mind-links or hieroglyphics like last time."_

_"Sorry about the joke before Ryou." Tea blushed._

_"What about sorry to Tristan?"__ Tristan flared._

_Yami laughed. "This should be entertaining Ryou's the best artist."_

_Serenity rushed over to grab up her nephew kissing his nose. "Now the big bad boys wont hurt you." Dray giggled hugging his Auntie._

_The teams sat around the living room, Bakura went first trying to draw a rabbit, half way through he gave up and began to draw Pegasus that picture was pretty good and Malik managed to get the reference from the picture calling out the answer right at the time. _

_"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Tea glared at Tristan she thought it was a good picture of a baby cradle._

_"Umm a boat?"__ Ryou asked smiling politely, where he got a similar glare. "Gee I don't know!"_

_"It's time anyway." Seto announced._

_Later at dinner Yugi chirped up. "You know it's not just his Birthday."_

_Seto lowered his head it wasn't like he had forgotten any minute of that day and what anniversary it was also. Jou had died that day too. Seto already felt guilty about all the fun they were having._

_"What day is it hikari?" Yami asked after swallowing. All eyes fell on Yugi except for the few that remembered the ones stilling grieving the loss. Seto slipped out of the room when no one noticed._

_"Jou died today Yami-sama." Yugi croaked out. "I just think we shouldn't forget that no matter how much fun we're having it's not the same without him here."_


	5. Chapter 5

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Warning: Mpreg character death

Summary: Dray gets overly excited about Bakura and Ryou's return from their long vacation in Egypt. On his field trip threw his father's sky scraper he encounters daycare and learns some interesting words. Later on Seto has to have a talk about using those words at the supper table.

Dragochi, had just turned five and the chibi was about to surprise Seto. He had not planned it, but when his father came into his office after a meeting he was met with the surprise that Dray had.

Dray was sitting in his chair, as was usual, when he left to go to a meeting, and he was reading a small book. But it wasn't the size it was the fact that no one had taught Dray to read and least of all no one had taught him how to read Ancient Egyptian that surprised him.

Seto tried to trick himself in believe that his son was just a normal five-year-old. But no matter how hard Seto tried, his son was always doing things to show him just how smart he was. The brunette sighed inwardly; he placed his briefcase down standing over the desk watching a bit longer.

"Hmm what is my little dragon doing?" Seto smiled down at the messy blonde hair that crowned his head with his nose in the book, the blonde mop was all he could see.

"Reading." Dray's sparkling blue sapphire's rose to dance with his father's. "Big dragon, did you know the Pharaoh made up the game called duel monsters and he…"

"Since when do you know how to read? You don't start school until August." Seto interrupted him, knowing for sure that his son really did read that copied text he received from Isis so-so long ago.

Dray shrugged. "I donno. I was just bored." His eyes dropped to the table. "I just saw the book on your shelf there," he pointed to said shelf, "I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's fine. Just I didn't know you could." Seto wasn't even going to go into the fact that probably only a few expert translators could read the text straight without first checking references. He moved around the desk to his side standing over his chair. "I'll see if I can get you some other things, if you like to read."

"About Bakura-sentai?" Dray's eyes lit up, he was sure if this one spoke about Yami and Seto there could be one about Bakura.

"You'll have to ask him yourself. We're going to dinner with the pair to welcome them home." Seto leaned over his chair to wake his computer. Dray looked up from the chair with a smile as wide as the Pacific Ocean. "Tonight." Seto added. Dray jumped up hugging Seto around the neck.

"Oh thank you!" Dray jumped from the chair letting his father sit at his desk.

"Bah-kur-a Bah-kurrr-a, 'Kura-sentai!" He bounced about on his toes. Seto shook his head, three months was really too long for the two to be separated. Although he was never this excited when Mokuba visited from college, that was every few weeks of course, but Seto had a feeling it wouldn't matter how long it was, he still would not act this excited.

"Kaiba-san?" His assistant entered, why have a secretary when assistants did more for the same? Dray bounced out of the room Kaiba's assistant Joaquin ruffled his hair a bit on the way out.

"Hi Paulie." Dray had bounced down to one of the executive's rooms, Paulie sighed, now he had a reason to take a break.

"Bakura-sentai is coming!" He bounced off. Paulie groaned _stupid kid can't stick around_. "Sentai, sentai, sentai." Dray changed his tune a bit. "Oh don't forget Ryou."

"Hi Dray." One of the copiers managed, most employees managed, to say hi to the baby dragon during the day at least on that floor. He liked to visit everyone and everyone like him, he was not spoiled or rude, he was cute and friendly, no one could see how he belonged to the ice-god Kaiba-sama.

"Hey Tantya, Bakura's coming to see me!" Dray's smile got even wider than it had been. Bakura would never waste his time on Seto. Dray did not stop long; he bounced up and down the eighty-story building telling everyone who was coming.

"Oh!" An old lady that smelt funny grabbed Dray's hand and led him to the elevator. "Wouldn't your mommy and daddy be upset if they did not find you in daycare where you belong?"

"Mommy?" Dray stopped bouncing, _who the hell is my mommy,_ the voice in Dray's head said, and it sounded almost like Bakura's.

Dray was too perplexed about this 'mommy business' that he let the lady lead him to the daycare. There were kids everywhere!

"How old are you?" The old lady asked.

"Five years three months and two days." Dray smartly replied. The lady just rolled her eyes and led him to the five-year-old room. They were using play dough.

Dray excitedly set about making each piece of the millennium puzzle and then putting it together much better then the stupid snake the boy next to him made.

"Alright, now we're going to draw pictures of your families." The care taker said, passing out the paper and crayons.

Dray set his puzzle aside. He drew a picture of Seto, Mokuba, and him that's who lived with him after all.

"Alright let's see them." One-by-one they showed their drawings. Dray was smart enough to realize that he had forgotten something. Most of the people working at Kaiba Corp who had children were still married or at least had joint custody so each child had a Mom, and Dad some also had siblings and grandparents that differentiate but they all had a Mom and a Dad.

"This is me." Dray was not nervous about the difference, he did not even know what a Mommy was and he was sure he did not need one. "That's Uncle Mokuba, me, and Dad."

"Where's your mom?" The sensei, of all people, asked before any of the students.

"I don't know if I have one." Dray lowered his head at his superior's disapproval filled gaze.

"Everyone has a mom." One of the kids said.

"Yeah, where's yours?" A girl teased. "Where is she?"

"Who does your Dad talk to when he goes to bed? Whose he kiss?" A boy asked, making an ew-gross-dad-don't-kiss-mom-in-front-of-me face.

"My Dad talks to me! He doesn't kiss anyone!" Dray suddenly felt as if he had said or done something very wrong.

"What girl did he knock up?" One of the boy's spoke up (kids say the darnest things, huh?).

"Girl! Dad doesn't know any girls!" Dray replied frowning; he ruled Tea and Serenity out because he never really spoke with them.

"Oooh." The sensei frowned; _maybe his 'uncle' and 'father' were lovers. Tthat is interesting_. "You're Dad's gay?"

"I don't know what that means!" Dray replied truthfully, he was upset about this whole ordeal. Where exactly was this mommy of his anyway?

"It's when you're Daddy loves your uncle and…"

"Gays are faggots." A girl made a face.

"Faggot, fag, nah, nah." A boy teased, the other children, the ones that knew the word and quite a few did (comes from when your parents hate their boss, their very gay boss) joined in.

Dray glared at them his blue-hues icing the room before he stormed out of the daycare and out to the hall. "No way Dad's one of those no matter how much he loves Uncle Mokuba."

He was already to the elevator when the care taker rushed after him saying he was not going to get in it.

Dray glared when she grabbed his arm. "What do you think you're doing!" She snapped.

"I'm going to see my Dad. Please let go!" He cried trying to struggle out of the grasp.

"Oh no, Kaiba-san doesn't want a bunch of kids wandering about." She began to drag him back to the room.

"I am Kaiba!" His scowl matching Seto's perfectly. She just laughed, many of the children pretended to be Kaiba. Oh yes one would be the doctor, the fire fighter, the mommy, and the Kaiba, the rest did not matter but you had to have the Kaiba-sama. "Kaiba, Dragochi Katsuya!" He squealed. That was a new one to her but it did not really matter she was set on bringing him back.

"Dray?" One of Seto's executive assistance assistant peeked out of one of the labor's offices. "Dray!" She rushed over shooing the other lady off the boy.

"Is this yours? You would not believe the stories he tells. I can hardly put up with him!" The caretaker ranted.

"Sora-sama!" Dray rubbed his arm where it was sore from being pulled, ecstatic about seeing someone he knew.

"No, this cutie is Kaiba-san's. I'm surprised he's down here." Sora ruffled his hair. "Kaiba-san usually brings him upstairs."

"I was upstairs and then I went to tell the lady at the front desk-hu!" He covered his mouth in a gasp, his prior excitement returning. "Bakura-sentai is coming to see me!" He shrieked happily. "And then this lady told me that I should be in daycare so she dragged me there and it was alright at first. I made a millennium puzzle." He held out the puzzle proudly. "But then _they_ laughed at me and I tried to leave and she said I couldn't because Dad wouldn't like it and I told her that I was a Kaiba and she laughed at me, again! And I want _my_ dragon!" He cried out everyone on the floor stopped working and glanced at him.

"Don't worry, Sora-sama will take you to him." Sora smiled happily, cheering up the boy only slightly. "Tell me about your sentai."

"Oh he's really nice, but he's been in Egypt for three months, and I miss him so much." Dray skipped along side of Sora to the elevator.

The daycare lady sighed heavily. "I'll just go clear out my desk." She muttered trudging back to the room.

The elevator opened and Dray squealed. "Bakura-sentai!" He flew into the older spirits arms. Ryou stepped aside as the two fell into an unsuspecting couple of executive-to-bes, the couple scowled but said nothing.

"I missed you so much!" Dray snuggled into him hugging and kissing him as if the world was ending and this would be his last chance to do so.

Bakura laughed the weight on his heart lifting. He really had not wanted to leave. "How's Kaiba's little tyke?"

"Good." Dray smiled happily. "I made this for you." Dray handed him the clay millennium puzzle and except for the size it was an exact copy. "I know you really want one."

Bakura's heart clenched, the cute thing would probably kill for him. "Thanks Dray, it's perfect."

"It really is!" Ryou examined it in awe. Dray clamored off of Bakura to give Ryou a long hug. "I almost thought you didn't miss me!"

"Bah don't be silly Ryou-sama." Dray snuggled his head into the other man's hipbone. Ryou chuckled, wondering if Kaiba knew Dray spoke like Bakura. "How is your Dad?"

"Great, really great, right 'Kura?" Ryou replied. Bakura rose to his feet and nodded taking Ryou's hand in his. "And how is yours?"

"Not good, the incompetent people that work for him are going to drive him to an early grave." Dray explained smiling brightly.

"Is that so?" Ryou raised a light colored eyebrow.

"That means we get you!" Bakura grinned in a sadistic way. "That's why we're his Godparents right?" He had been confused about the term since Seto had asked them a few years back.

"Yes, but you cannot kill him." Ryou cut the thought off Bakura pouted. "Dray would not like that."

"Nope." Dray agreed as the elevator let them out. Taking Bakura's hand he led the tomb-robber to Seto's office. The dark spirit scowled as both he and Ryou skipped on either side of him. Even if Ryou was just playing around, why did he have to be stuck in the middle!

"Dray." Seto did not look up; Dray was the only one who never knocked when he entered. "We're going to be leaving soon. Where have you been?"

"Bakura-sentai and Ryou-san are here now!" Dray ignored the question. "Can we go eat?"

"Just a moment Dray-chi." Seto clicked away as Ryou and Bakura inspected his office.

"But I'm hungry." Dray whined slightly.

"You're always hungry." Seto whined back. "You're like a puppy." Seto smiled briefly. _Not from **my** side_ he thought. Ryou and Bakura snickered lightly at the joke. Dray just ignored it he did not understand adults sometimes.

"Come on Kaiba, we have to meet the others." Ryou urged he was hungry too. "Don't want to get lectured on tardiness from Tea now do we?"

"Never heard that one, is it as good as her one on friendship?" Kaiba joked, er, hopefully, as he began to shut down his computer.

Dray picked up the book from before. "I'm not done with it yet can I bring it home, Big Dragon?"

Seto grinned. "Why don't you show Ryou what a good reader you are."

"You read now?" Bakura frowned; the boy was going to be smarter than him.

Dray opened the book and began to read aloud. Ryou blinked at him, what trick was this, his father couldn't even read an ancient text that easily. Seto leaned down and picked his son up motioning for Ryou to grab his briefcase, the four headed down the sky scraper listening to Dray read, he did not stop until they got to the restaurant.

"Hey Dragochi-chan!" Tristan slugged the boy in the arm. "Come sit beside me."

"Hey Ryou, how was your trip?" Serenity smiled brightly.

"Great, I'm so tired though." Ryou sat down next to the redhead pulling Bakura down with him. Bakura growled as Seto and Dray sat on the other end of the table.

"Mokuba just called, he said he'll be here in five minutes his helicopter just landed on the roof." Yugi rushed back to the table. "He says that Weevil and Mai are with him."

"That's a strange combination." Duke snickered.

"And you and Tristan aren't?" Tea asked the two.

"Woah, hold it, reverse, Mokuba is not with either of those two and don't refer to them as such." Seto reached about Tristan and Dray to whack the dice master.

"Hey." Duke glared. "Look what you're teaching your son."

"I let him stay with Bakura. I really cannot be that bad of an influence." Seto rolled his eyes.

Bakura scowled. "Dray likes his Bakura-sentai." Ryou argued for him.

"I'm sure everyone at Kaiba Corp would agree." Seto ruffled the blonde mop next to him.

"Uncle Mokuba!" Dray shrugged his father off to hug his uncle. "I can read!"

"You couldn't read last week." Mokuba pushed Seto aside to sit beside him.

"Oh he can read." Bakura scowled. "I had to listen about _that_," he pointed to Yami, "the whole way here."

"There's a book about Yami?" Weevil questioned.

"Not fair, I'm much more exciting and sexy to write about." Marik glared at Yami.

"Hey, I got the book from Isis."

"Traitor!" Malik gasped, she'd learn her lesson, perhaps, tonight.

"I didn't know you still spoke with Isis."

"I don't, not really." Seto agreed with Yami Marik.

"The only book I remember her sending you was that copy of the Egyptian text."

"It was the same." Ryou chirped. "The tyke's reading it better then anyone I know."

"Unbelievable." Murmured the table.

The waitress came by and gave out the menu's switching the conversation.

"Gods, Seto must have picked this place out." Tristan frowned at the menu. "Did you say you're paying hun?"

"Tristan!" Duke scolded. "We got a joint account months ago!"

"Still it's your half of the account right?"

"Do you want to share something Yami? I don't think I can eat a whole meal?" Yugi pondered over the food.

Yami made a face. "I'll share with you." Serenity leaned over Bakura and Ryou. "What are you having?"

"How about stir-fry?"

"Oh, I only have travelers' checks." Ryou gulped not that he needed to. Seto already told him he'd treat him and Bakura. Which Bakura quickly reminded him?

"How come he's paying for you?" Tea glared.

"Because, I spoil the tyke rotten." Bakura glared right back.

"Bakura-sentai." Dray glanced up. "Do you want to share?"

"Sure, what do you want mutt?"

"No, don't share with him! He'll eat it all and then you'll starve!" Mokuba interrupted. "That's what Seto did when he went on his diet!"

"Oh good Bakura's too fat anyway." Ryou grabbed at his gut.

"Ryou!" Bakura glared. Ryou gave him an innocent smile. "You can sleep on the couch _this_ time."

"No, Bakura!" The albino whined.

"What was Egypt like?" Mai asked.

"Boring." Bakura yawned Ryou glared at him.

"Hey Dad, are you a faggot?" Dray asked as if it were the most normal thing in the world to be asking during a meal.

Yugi and Ryou blushed at the word. Bakura gagged on his water everyone else stopped speaking glancing at the youngest Kaiba.

"You shouldn't say words like that Dray." Seto scolded.

"You let me say hell!" Dray argued whiningly.

"No, I don't." Seto glared towards Bakura. "Besides, hell really isn't _that _bad of a word."

"Hey don't blame it on me. You swear like a sailor." Bakura snarled.

"Daaaad," Dray whined again, "are you?"

Seto gulped. "No, I'm not that repulsive word."

"Then you don't love Uncle Mokuba?" Dray questioned. Malik's smile grew, this was interesting, and perhaps someone would lose a limb.

"Yes, I do; who and where are you getting this stuff?"

"From daycare."

"You sent him to daycare!" Bakura glared as well as most of the table's occupants, their Dragochi-kun did _not_ go to daycare.

"You don't go to daycare, he doesn't go to daycare." Seto replied.

Dray sighed and shook his head. "Idiots." He mumbled. "I went to daycare today. I was on my way to tell the lady at the front desk that Bakura-sentai was coming to see me. But this lady said I had to be in daycare. So I went and it seemed alright at first. I got to use play dough and crayons. The Sensei said that you're gay if you love Uncle Mokuba and you talk to him before you go to bed and you kiss him."

Seto's eyes glinted; someone was going to be fired soon. "Well I am gay Dragochi."

"So you are a fag?"

"No."

"What's it mean then?"

"It is a vulgar term people use to hurt and make fun of people in a gay relationship. This is when two people of the same gender are in a sexual relationship." Seto rubbed his temples.

"Oh." Dray gasped. He looked around the table. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry Tristan-san, Duke-san, Yami-sama, Yugi-kun, Marik-san, Malik-san, Ryou-kun."

"Don't worry about it kiddo, we know you didn't want to hurt us." Tristan ruffled his tuft of hair.

"How come I don't get an apology?" Bakura murmured.

"How does he know words like vulgar, gender, and sexual relationship?" Weevil asked the table.

"Vulgar is how Malik acts," Dray explained, "gender is whether you're male or female, and sexual relationships is when a couple partakes in sexual activities and sex is when…" Mokuba put a hand over his mouth.

"I don't tolerate people speaking to Dray like a child." Seto explained. "I don't need him speaking like a child."

"Well it does make it easier to speak with him." Mai agreed. "Just how do you remember he's five?"

"Age is not a barrier to intelligence." Seto argued.

Luckily everyone was distracted again as the food was served.

"I'll put half on your plate tyke." Bakura began to divide their meal.

"I can eat more then that, more, still more. Are you trying to starve me?" Dray groaned.

"See." Mokuba laughed at the few bites left on Bakura's plate. Ryou giggled and gave Bakura some of his meal.

"Hey Dad if you're not in a relationship with Uncle Mokuba then where's my mom?" The table went silent faster then before. "The Sensei said everyone has one. So where is she?"

"Someone's going to be fired!" Malik squealed with delight.

Seto stared at his plate gaping at the words, it's not like he did not think about Jou every day, but now he'd have to speak about it opening that wound again. "We'll talk about it when we get home."

Dray gulped slumping in his chair that meant he was in big trouble. "Welcome back guys!" Yugi toasted, everyone quickly clinked glasses.

Dray sulked into the house after Seto. Mokuba skirted to his room, he knew better then to stick around for this. "Go to your room, Dray."

Dray dashed up to his room, not wanting to upset his Big Dragon. He slipped in his bed as tears left his eyes. He hated to have his Dad mad at him. Sure he acted as if he liked the others better, but Seto was his Dad he wanted to be exactly like him in everyway. At nights he would crawl into _his_ bed. When he was hurt it had to be _him_ to kiss the pain away. _Seto_ always made him smile the biggest, making him feel happier then ever. He was everything to him, the most important person in his life.

Seto entered a while later slipping quietly over the floor he sat down next to his son's bed. He leaned up against it for support. Dragochi wiggled out of bed and into Seto's lap. Leaning back against his chest Seto played softly with his golden locks.

"I think you need to watch what you say." Seto murmured softly. "You're only going to be this cute for so long. You can always ask me anything, but from now on, just in private."

Dray turned slightly leaning back against Seto's left shoulder blue eyes meeting blue. "I'm sorry."

The brunette kissed his temple. "I'm not really mad at you Dray. You're question just really hurt."

"I'm sorry." Dray snuggled into him. "You don't have to tell me where my mom is if it hurts too much."

Seto sighed squeezing the boy tighter. "I want to tell you. You need to know." Big blue eyes waited patiently for Seto to continue. "You don't have a mom per say. You see a mom technically is a female and well you see before you were born…I was in love. With…" Seto paused he was not sure if Dray knew who Jou was. He was sure Dray was around when people would talk about him but he never asked about Jou. Which was strange usually before he met people like, Weevil, Rex, and Mai, he asked about who they were because he heard everyone talking about them. "Jou." He paused to wait for Dray to react.

"Aunt Serenity's brother?" Dray blinked a few times.

"Serenity's…well yea!" Seto agreed.

Dray gasped crawling about to wrap his arms around Seto's neck. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?"

"Jou died, right?" Dray's lip trembled softly. Seto blinked at him, apparently the reason he never asked was because he already knew.

"What else do you know about him?" Seto was curious about what exactly he had picked up on.

"He died on my birthday, that is why you had a hard time taking care of me at first but everyone's glad you did or no one would be friends anymore. He was a good duelist, and a really good friend and everyone wishes he was back specially when they think I'm sleeping. They're not supposed to talk about him around you or Yugi-san."

Seto laughed, pulling Dray into a tighter hug, eyes watering up lightly at the thought of what his son had picked up. "Well, you see what happened was that he and I really wanted to have children and well one of my friends approached us and explained that they could make it possible for the two of us to have children. Well, I was going to do it but Jou really wanted to, it was perfect really. Everything went smoothly, he never got morning sickness or strange cravings or mood swings, he said it was the easiest thing he had ever done. But, then it was time for the baby to arrive and he struggled, I could not understand how much pain he was in and there was blood. So much blood. I blamed everyone for what they were doing wrong but I was the one who messed up. Then you were there born and alive and he-he…oh but Dray never ever think it was your fault. You did nothing wrong and I would take none of that back. I needed you and wanted you. I still want you, I love you so much, I just wish you could have seen how much he loved you."

Dray leaned in kissing Seto's nose. "I'm sorry. You miss him so much. I'm just glad I still have you to play with me."

"Me?" Seto tilted his head at the thought, if Jou was still here possibly Seto would not spend nearly enough time with him, at least not as much as he was now. Dray was everything to him now, and he did not want to sacrifice his relationship with his son if it meant having Jou back. Even though he still wanted Jou back and he'd always wanted him back but not if it ruined what he had come to love.

"Dad, Dad, Daaaad!" Dray snapped him back into reality. "What should I call him then, if not my Mommy?"

"I- well…I'm not sure perhaps Dad?" Seto stood tossing Dray lightly in his bed.

"But that's you." Dray wiggled under the covers.

"Well, possibly father, daddy, pappy." Seto suggested.

Dray nodded yawning. "Alright, night big dragon."

"Good night Dragochi, my little dragon." Seto kissed his forehead turning off the light he shut the door quietly behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Summary: Bakura and Ryou discuss having a baby; Ryou then gets advice from the high priest. Dray fires Ryou from Kaiba corp while he hires Seto.

* * *

The next day Bakura and Ryou were waiting in the lobby of Kabia corp. Ryou was talking to the receptionist and the former tomb-robber was reading Parentingmagazine.

"Ryou." He glared, as he suddenly realized that the young hikari was flirting. Ryou batted his eyes at the girl before skipping over to Bakura. "How old are you?"

The silver haired boy raised an eyebrow. "Twenty-three my Birthday's not for a few months so…"

"Are you old enough yet?"

"Old enough, for what 'Kura?" Ryou tilted his head in his confusion.

"I want a baby Ryou." Bakura explained shaking the magazine a bit. "I would be a good father, don't you want one yet?"

"Oh! Oh no." Ryou shook his head moving towards the elevator Bakura followed. "No, no, no not yet, not now, I'm not ready."

"Will you ever be!" Bakura snapped, getting onto the elevator with him, there were three other people on it already. "Who is ever really ready to have a baby? Ryou please, I'd be a good father, please!"

"No, 'Kura we can't besides you-you have Dray." Ryou reminded him.

"Dray is Seto's!"

"Funny I didn't think you knew that."

Bakura stumbled back from the sarcastic lash. "I do know that. No matter how nice and gentle I am with him." Bakura growled being upset made him angry. "He drew Seto and Mokuba in his 'family picture,' he's not mine no matter how much I want him to be. And he's really not yours and I want to have one that's yours, I want one Ryou. Please, don't you want one too?"

"No." Ryou whispered lowering his head in shame. He really wanted to give Bakura anything, especially this, but not if he lost him. The other people on the elevator listened with interest even if they pretended they didn't care.

"Why! Make me understand why you're keeping this from me?" Bakura shook with anger, disappointment, and betrayal. Ryou was supposed to jump at the chance after all. "Why, Ryou, tell me? Why do you hate me?" Ryou snapped his head up glaring at his lover for his comment. "Why!"

"I think you'd be a suck ass father!" Ryou gasped covering his mouth with his hands, shaking his head, he didn't think that, not really. He watched a wave of hurt and embarrassment wash over his other half.

Crack! The people in the elevator gaped as Ryou stumbled back his cheek bone began to drip blood down his face. Bakura punched him. A wave of regret hit Bakura. The two locked eyes but neither said anything. The silence in the elevator stifling, but then the door opened and Ryou was scrambling out, rushing away. Bakura stood, watching until the door closed the occupants in the elevator glaring at him for what he had done but no one said a word.

"Shit, that was my floor!" A gaming director exclaimed.

Ryou found his way into Seto's office, he was in a meeting however, Dray was sitting at his desk playing with a rubrics cube.

"Ryou-san!" He cried out on seeing his friend, but gasped when he saw the blood. He quickly pulled the first aid kit out of the desk and gave it to him. Ryou smiled softly, sitting in a chair in front of the desk setting about cleaning the cut.

Dray turned back to the computer and typed random things in before turning back to Ryou.

"I'm sorry, well no, I'm not, your incompetence and lack of attendance and tardiness forces me to have to let you go. Furthermore, I suggest you get some serious mental help before you try working in this town again."

Ryou blinked up towards Dray, his flashing orbs showed the same agitation Seto's did when he realized he'd have to hirer someone to replace him. "Oh no, please, Mr. Kabia I have a family to take care of!"

"And so do I, but you don't see me taking unexpected days off." Dray said just as dryly and unmoved as Seto would be.

"Oh no, please Sama I have no where else to go and my son he needs his braces and…"

"Likely story, leave before I call security." Dray snarled.

"Leave, leave? You want me to leave?" Ryou jumped the younger boy tickling him. Dray squealed with laughter.

"No, no please, stop!" Dray gasped trying to get out of the tickle-fest.

Ryou listened to him flopping onto Seto's chair, Dray snuggled into his lap. "You're too much like your father kid." Ryou commented smiling softly as Dray kissed the bandage under his eyes. "Well, perhaps not _too_ much."

"Was my Dad, my other Dad, were friends with you?" Dray furrowed his brow curiously.

"Jou, oh yeah, he was great, the best friend anyone could have." Ryou kissed the top of Dray's head. "I miss him."

Seto arrived twenty minutes later, Dray was finishing the third side of the rubrics cube and Ryou was thinking about his fight with Bakura who had not shown up and blocked their mind links.

Dray glanced up and typed randomly at the computer again. "Sit, you're late."

"I-I…what?"

"I said SIT!" Dray snapped, Seto promptly sat putting his brief case down. "The position for the board has been open since I recently had to let Mr. Bakura go, and after your campaign for cheaper suppliers you have the fortunate to be welcomed on the team."

"Really?" Seto raised an eyebrow.

"Right, but I'll have to send you to Hawaii for the next year to secure deals with an American client and I'll have to give you a raise, if you don't mind Mr. Kaiba… uh Dad."

Seto held back a laugh and Ryou had to muffle the giggles behind his hand. "It will be a strain for me, but for Kaiba corp I'll do anything." Seto laughed lightly. "Why do you have the guy you fired underneath you?"

Dray sighed shaking his head. "His son needs braces and he tickled me into giving him a new job."

"Ah well, as long as he had to practically beg." Seto stood and then shooed them out of his chair. "So why are you here Ryou?"

"Bakura and I had a fight." Ryou said softly as he sat on the other side of Seto's desk.

"Daddy can I have my block back." Dray reached over the desk towards it. Seto glanced it over; handing it to Dray where he finished the third side. He shook his head not even attempting to explain to Dray why normal children didn't do that. "I can tell you had a fight." Seto motioned to his cut. "What happened?"

He blushed at Seto's first comment before continuing. "He said he wanted children and I said I wasn't ready and he wouldn't drop it. He wanted to know why but I couldn't tell him and so he wanted to know why I hated him and I told him I didn't think he'd make a good father." Ryou whimpered resting his head on the desk. "I'd have to be crazy to believe that."

"Mmm, I see, I guess then the bruise isn't surprising. Hell, Bakura will probably make a better father then me. I mean Mai said it herself. He's not really even five anymore."

"Seto." Ryou scolded. "You're a great father and Dray still needs you. Sure he's a genius, but he could never take care of himself."

"Even so, I'm sure he could have a better one." Seto frowned folding his hands and resting his chin on them.

"No, he couldn't, he loves you, he needs you. Just you, out of everyone in his life he can't lose you. You understand him. He's smart, you get that, you don't pretend he's not and treat him like all the other kids his age and you never shoved him off to some special school. You treat him just as he should be treated. You're the only one that would have done that."

"I love my father too, but he and I will never have what you and he have. I love him but I'll never know him. Dray, he'll never leave you, your bonds too strong, it's too unbreakable. Bakura even knows that, not sure when he learned it, but he knows no matter how close he gets to him it will never be like you. That's why he wants one of his own, but I can't give it to him. I'm too afraid I don't want to die!"

The brunette blinked, that speech took a strange turn. He moved around rubbing the top of Ryou's head. "It's alright, don't worry Ryou it'll be alright."

Dray blinked over, biting his bottom lip. "No, Seto it wouldn't, I want to give Bakura everything. So I'll have the baby, I'm just going to die."

The brunette knelt down. "You wouldn't die Ryou. The procedure has been very successful since then." Seto reassured. "Only two other patients have died."

Ryou's chocolate eyes met Seto's blue ones. "How many othere were there?"

"Five."

"That's half Seto, half, should one life be worth another?" Ryou snapped.

"Ryou, Dray's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I would change nothing that happened, it was worth it." Seto rubbed the top of his legs soothingly.

"It was worth it to you. Was it worth it to Jou; he's dead Seto, all that work and he died, was it worth it to him?" Ryou lashed back.

Seto flinched before narrowing his eyes. He stood back up, walking to his side of the desk he leaned over it, his eyes gazed over the smaller man. "I don't think he regrets having Dray for me, and I don't think he ever will."

Ryou nodded, he knew it was true, even if he did die it would be worth it to make Bakura that happy.

"What about adopting, Yugi and Yami have already looked into that." Seto sat in his chair, trying to push the ache in his heart away. Dray climbed into his lap snuggling into him trying to make him feel better and finish his rubrics cube.

"What, no? Bakura will be pissed if they get a kid before him!" Ryou groaned. "I can hear it now, 'I'm the better father' and 'just because he was the pharaoh!'"

"Yup, they're looking through the papers and discussing it." Seto said petting Dray's hair absentmindedly.

"But, I want to have one, for 'Kura, you know, then the baby will look like us, at least the first one. I'm just-not ready to give up on life." Ryou explained.

"Well, first of all, we'll have to see if it's possible. Bakura is a spirit after all." Seto agreed warmly.

"He has his own body now." Ryou reminded him.

"Good, still we'll have to see, and if that works I'll do it for you." Seto softly offered.

"Seto! No, you, no, I wouldn't let you do that. If anything happened to you, you have a son! No, no, no, never I…"

"Ryou, I owe you two so much, I'll do this if you want me to." Seto agreed.

"No, Seto, no, please. Just no I-I really want to." Ryou explained.

"Well, if you're sure." Seto nodded. "I'll do what I can to help though." Ryou nodded softly, help would be appreciated. The two smiled at each other at the conclusion.

"Dad, I finished!" Dray put the cube on the tavle and then typed something in the computer.

"Hey, Noah was supposed to be at the meeting!" Seto snapped, seeing that his brother had decided to chat with his son while in the meeting with the board.

"Yea, Uncle Noah says Li is boring." Seto shrugged, Li was boring.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

A/n: This chapter is so incredible short! Haha I'm buying time!

Summary: Everyone meets at Seto's to talk about babies and then there is a bit of fighting and some accusation made by Yugi.

A few days later, Seto had Bakura and Ryou over, Yami and Yugi were over too, they wanted to see if Seto would look at some of the agencies for them. Seto could usually find out all the good and bad things about any company. Dray was 'helping' Mokuba practice the piano, mostly he sat on the bench and sang softly.

"So we narrowed the places down and we wanted to find the best one." Yugi explained softly, Yami scowled he did not want to 'beg' for Kabia's help.

"Sure." Seto nodded, taking the pages from Yugi and began to thumb threw them.

"You're going to adopt!" Bakura howled glaring at Ryou. "They're going to get one and you don't even want one! I'd make ten times the father he would!"

"'Kura, I want kids I do. Seto's looking into it." Ryou assured him. "He wants to make sure that they can fuse the sperm together and…"

"You're going to _have_ a baby? To _have_ one?" Yugi raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I want to have at least one that looks like us before we think about adopting." Ryou explained.

Bakura let out a whoop, sweeping Ryou into a kiss. "Seriously thank you, thank you, thank you, Ryou! I'm so happy and I'll show you how great I can be."

The smaller boy smiled sheepishly, knowing for certain he made the right decision.

"NO!" Yugi snapped he stomped his foot infuriated. "You can't have a baby!"

Yami blinked backing away from his hikari. Bakura narrowed his eyes. "And why not?"

"Because you promised me. I won't let you do this to him. He's my friend. I wouldn't let you!" Terror filled his eyes as he shook violently. "I won't let you kill him, I won't let you kill him like Kaiba killed Jou."

Mokuba's hands stilled holding the note they landed on last until it faded out as the room held its breath. Seto finally acknowledged the guys in front of him. Tears were heaving from Yugi's body but he didn't move to cover his face or wipe them away. Bakura and Ryou stood stone still, how could Yugi blame Seto for something like this. Something he had no control over. The silence was awkward and uncomfortable until one of Seto's maids came into the room.

"Master Mokuba, Weevil and Rex are here to see you." She cleared the room of the tention. Yugi buried his tear-stained face in Yami's chest. Mokuba left the room as quickly as possible to answer the door. Ryou panicked, his earlier fears coming back to him. "'Kura I-I don't want to do this, please don't make me. I'm so afraid of never seeing you again." Bakura gaped shaking his head in disbelief.

Dray slipped over to his father crawling onto his lap. "Dad, I…" Seto pulled Dray close, tears coming forth, drenching the front of his shirt.

"I-I killed him. I took him away from you." Seto muttered.

"No, don't think like that!" Bakura growled angrily, his eyes narrowed on Yugi. "You apologize, runt. You fucking prick!"

Yami glared back annoyed, couldn't Bakura see that Yugi was upset. "You can't protect him this time Yami. This time he has to apologize."

Mokuba peeked back in. "Uh-Seto?"

The brunette glanced up to his brother. "I'm going to the Ishtar's with Weevil and Rex don't wait up!" He called before heading out.

Yugi sighed. "I'm sorry Seto-kun. It was no one's fault I was just upset at Bakura-kun. I don't want anything to happen to Ryou-chan."

"It's up to Ryou." Bakura replied softly as his eyes fell on Ryou.

The shorter boy bit his bottom lip. "Jou and I were going to try the second one you have listed here."

Yugi brightened letting out a cute squeal jumping over he took the papers. The uneasiness was broken when Yugi jumped into the brunette's arms. Dray laughed lightly joining in since he had been in Seto's lap.

"We'll talk about it, but either way you'll have that baby." Ryou wrapped his arms around him.

Bakura snuggled into him. "Just because I want a baby doesn't mean I wouldn't want you to."

"I know." Ryou nodded putting his head on Bakura's shoulder.

"Since when does Mokuba hang out with those two?" Yami commented suspiciously.

"Weevil and Mokuba met again in school." Seto explained. "And the bug kid likes Rex, maybe they're dating."

"And Ishtar's?" Yami pondered. Seto gave him a strange look. "Isis told me something the other day."

"What's that?" Seto furrowed his brow.

"You spoke with Isis?" Yugi moved out of the group hug, sitting beside the boys on the couch. Yami nodded looking thoughtful and then turned to leave. Seto gave Yugi a look. "He does that all the time."

"Want me to help you fill those things out?" Seto wondered. Yugi nodded, Ryou nodded as well. "Dray, tell the cook they're staying for dinner."

"Baku-sama come with me." Dray slipped off Seto and pulled Bakura away from the group.

a/n: Hey guys, this fic has started to pick up its muse again so I should be posting more that is if I start typing what I have been writing. If you guys have any suggestions or comments well then comment hehe kay this was pointless…crawls in hole.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

Summary: Dray gets frightened after an former-employee threatens him but Seto is there to kiss it and make it all better. Mokuba is scheming again and it has everything to do with Joey! Will his plan work and what exactly has he been doing with the Ishtars.

The lobby was starting to fill as the beginning of the work day began. Dray leaned over the front desk and nodded to all the employees. "Dray!"

"Akira-san hi!" Dray waved.

"Are you trying to steal my job?" Akira asked.

Dray snickered and shook his head. "Dad says he could never fire you. You're too pretty and since you're the first and last thing people see when they enter he has to keep you. Plus there's more then air in your head."

"Awe Dray, did he really say that?" She smiled going behind the desk and sitting down in the extra chair. "So then why are you down here?"

"Dad's firing someone, again." Dray told her. "He doesn't think its appropriate for me to watch. They cry and beg and sometimes they yell and scream."

"Awe poor Kaiba-san, I never realized how hard it could be to be him. I'd never want to fire anyone." She replied not many people at Kaiba Corp liked Seto but many people liked Dray and why ruin his world by insulting his father.

"Yeah." Dray sighed. "He'll be upset all day."

"Kaiba! You can't do this to me!" A man yelled he was being dragged away by security. "You ASSHOLE, I'LL BURN YOU ALIVE AND PISS ALL OVER THE ASHES! You'll pay for what you did."

Dray squeaked his eyes widened as the man spotted him. "AND YOU I'LL MAKE SURE YOU WISHED YOU WERE NEVER BORN AND KAIBA CAN SIT AND WATCH!" The young man tried to break free of the security guards.

"Woah!" A blonde dodged out of the way before the group could crash into her. Brushing off imaginary dirt as the screaming man was tossed out of the building she waltzed over to the front desk. Akira quickly coaxed Dray to go see his father; the boy sniffled as he dashed to the elevator.

"Can I help you?" Akira asked putting her headset on…

"And then he said he'd make sure that I'd wish I was never born." Dray sniffled tears streaming down his cheeks.

Seto pet Dray's hair. "Shh Dray, it's alright." He kissed the tope of his son's head. "I'm here for you. No one's going to hurt either of us. I promise you that."

The young boy clung to his Dad. "But I'm so scared."

"Don't be little dragon." Seto reassured. "How about you and I go get something for lunch?"

Dray gazed up to him with his watery blue orbs. "But your working."

"Yes and I'm also the boss, I think an hour lunch will be fine." Seto reassured.

"But it's nine-thirty." Dray reminded him.

"Well I have a meeting at noon and we can make it brunch, alright kiddo?"

"Alright." Dray sniffled as Seto pulled out his cell to call for the limo. "Go tell my assistant to hold my calls baby."

"I'm not a baby." Dray replied as he skipped out of the room.

"YAMI!" Yugi rushed over to his lover and the albino spirit. "What about this?"

Yami glanced at the shirt Yugi held up. "Yug' I think that's too small, even for you."

"Plus, where is all the leather?" Bakura smirked.

"Yami, this is for the baby. I saw it on the rack isn't it adorable?" Yugi chirped.

"Yugi we just sent the paper work in." Yami reminded him. "You said it could take months."

"So if I was pregnant it would take just as long, just look at it." Yugi begged.

Bakura snatched at the shirt. "I think it's more of a shirt for a Bakura."

Ryou skipped up glancing at the shirt. "'Kura I'm dressing our children, you don't even dress your self."

"Yugi picked it out!" Bakura defended.

"And their child will be scarred for life." Ryou replied. "Anyway I got our baby some clothes." He held up a shirt with a change of hearts on it.

"And our child's the one that's going to be scarred." Yugi giggled.

Yami folded his arms. "I think we should wait until they call us back at least, hikari. There is no point of getting overly excited too soon."

"There is when it's a baby!" Bakura replied.

"Oh don't be mad, Yami." Ryou cooed. "It's like you don't even want a baby."

"Hmmph." Yami folded his arms scowling. "Well it's wasn't my idea."

"Yami!" Yugi gasped tears forming in his eyes. "You don't want one?"

"No, no, hikari don't cry please it doesn't matter what I want." Yami tried to sooth his little lover.

"Yes, it does Yami. It's not like we're deciding what to get for dinner. This is about a baby, a human life, our human life you have to want it!"

"Heh let's back away slowly." Ryou said pulling Bakura away.

"Yugi?" Yami took a step forward.

"No Yami, you weren't honest with me!" Yugi stepped back. "How could you do this to me, Yami?"

"Yugi…"

"No, stay back and don't come home either!" Yugi rushed out of the store and out of the mall.

Bakura smiled smugly. "Need a place to stay Pharaoh?"

Slumping his shoulders Yami nodded in defeat. Ryou smiled sympathetically. "Don't worry Yami; Yugi will get over it soon. I'm sure."

Yugi went straight home bypassing the game shop and going threw the entrance into the house. He rushed up to his and Yami's room shutting the door roughly behind him, he shuffled to their bed pushing the picture on the bedside table onto its face as he always did when he was mad at Yami.

"Stupid Yami." Yugi shed his socks and jeans, sliding into bed. "All his talk about honesty and trust in a silly game, he can't even manage to apply it to this relationship. I'm not some innocent kid." Yugi pouted pulling the covers over his head. "And I don't need one either." Yugi clenched his sheets in his fist and his breath hitched. "Oh RA! I want one so much." He bit his lower lip softly.

"Yugi!" Yami shot to his feet banging his head on the ceiling of the car. "Ouch. I think he might be in trouble."

"Like he wants your help?" Bakura scoffed as they continued the drive to Marik's from Ryou and his home.

Yami's shoulders slumped. "I'm a baka. What did I do?"

The hikari of the group covered Bakura's mouth with his hand and smiled threw the rear viewer mirror at Yami. "Don't worry Yami, I told Bakura he wouldn't be a good father and he still forgave me."

"Hikari, both hands on the wheel! Eyes on the road eek!" Bakura covered his eyes. "I'm going to die."

"You're already dead." Yami responded.

"Well I can't die again! I might never become a father!" Bakura howled.

"Jou's a father and…"

"Shut up Pharaoh!" Bakura snarled.

"Am I going to have to turn this car around?" Ryou warned.

"No sir." The yamis responded.

Ryou smiled happily. "Works every time."

About two seconds later. "Are we there yet?"

"No, heh, actually yeah. Malik just lives around the corner I've been driving up and down the street waiting for you to say that!" Ryou smiled happily and parked in the driveway…er the Ishtar's lawn.

Yami and Bakura sweat dropped as Ryou raced to the front door. "Come on slow pokes."

The yamis shrugged and followed Ryou to the door where it was promptly tossed open.

"RYOU!" Marik sung rushing over to hug him. "Finally decided that affair wasn't a bad idea?"

"Uh-no Marik-san." Ryou blushed. "I couldn't do that, what would Malik say?"

"He'd ask to join. He was alright with it when I wanted Mokie in bed with us." Marik chirped.

"And look what happened with that." Malik appeared with said boy wrapped around him. "We'll marry rich in no time."

"Malik." Mokuba pouted.

Yaim sighed. "I use to respect you Mokuba. Malik, now what is it that you wanted?"

"Uh your millennium items." Mokuba brushed a strand of his hair back.

"Oh no! They've caught you under their mind trap you work for them now! I told you Ryou! I said we just need another accomplish to our world domination…"

"And I told you I don't like to share." Ryou smirked. "I want the world to myself… I mean I want you to myself."

Malik giggled. "Don't be silly we're just going to resurrect Jou's spirit."

"Didn't you try to kill him?" Yami pointed out.

"Whatever, Mokie wants him back, isn't that right snuggle bunny." Marik purred.

Yami frowned. "Yugi has my puzzle."

"Well, go get it, but don't say what it's for. No need to work the munchkin up for nothing." Malik replied.

"He's mad at-ack…" Yami was tugged away by Bakura. "What?"

"We can't bring back souls Yami!" Bakura scolded. "Usually I like to cause mischief and stuff but if we bring that mutt back he'll be cursed like us. Spirits bound to objects. I'm not putting anyone threw that. Marik doesn't understand what it's like he was created by Malik and beside he's sort of crazy."

"Hmmm…for once I agree with you. Yugi would be so happy to see Jou again but I wouldn't do it, not for that price."

"Marik!" Ryou smacked Marik's hands away from the zipper of his jeans.

The blond light giggled and continued to grope Ryou's chest with his darker half continuing efforts at his pants. "He's feisty isn't he Malik?"

"I bet he's big too Brits are big," Malik replied.

Mokuba rolled his eyes and folded his arms, his lovers loved to watch Ryou squirm neither thought Ryou would be up to anything so it was all fun and games. That is until Bakura became involved. The spirit growled and rushed to intercept, "Ryou," Bakura wrapped his arms around Malik, "If you really want to have an affair with Ishtar I wouldn't mind as long as I got a taste," His teeth sunk into Malik's throat.

Ryou gasped and made a sort of odd mewling happy noise, "Are you serious?" Bakura nodded into the bite and began to lap up the blood. Ryou pressed the blond hikari in to a seizing kiss on the lips as and began humping his hip.

Marik gasped as he watched his little one get such treatment. Bakura gazed up at him and promptly pounced, "Ungh!"

Yami sighed and leaned up against the door frame hoping that at least he might get a nice show. "Hey!" Mokuba cried out.

The four light haired-men glanced up at him Bakura sent Ryou a lovers gaze and the young light skipped up to him pulling Mokuba into a kiss.

"No way!" Marik snapped pulling Ryou away from Mokuba, "Mokie's ours!"

"Mmm peppermint," Mokuba mused. Malik rushed over petting his raven-haired lover.

"Shh, baby it's alright Marik and I will take care of you, shh," Malik cooed.

Ryou burst into giggles. "Gee that was fun lets go now Ryou," Bakura tugged Ryou towards the car.

"Wait what about the items?" Mokuba asked sweetly.

"There is _no _way I want _that_ mutt back," Bakura replied with a characteristic hint of malicious in his voice.

"Wh-what?" Mokuba frowned, "Bakura, you can't say that. Joey was your friend too!"

Ryou gazed at Bakura questionably, "I don't care. I'm not giving my items to those insane Egyptians."

"Not even if they can bring Joey back!" Mokuba shook angrily, "How can you be so cruel Bakura! It wasn't fair that he died and there's no one who'd ever-_not­_ want him h-here…"

"Mokuba," Yami took a step forward, "It's not wise to mess with life and death, with spirits."

"What are you talking about? You have bodies now, you're married to living beings, and you mess around with the shadow realm. How is this _any_ different?" Mokuba fumed his bright blue eyes filling with tears.

Marik glared, "Give them to us you rotten jerks!"

Yami sighed and stood his ground, "Mokuba it's different. Bakura and I agreed that this idea wouldn't work. These items trapped us here we're not letting the same thing happen to Joey."

"But, I-I want Joey back he's the only thing that ever, that **_EVER_ **made Seto happy. Really, really happy. He's never gotten over it. I'm not going to let you take my only chance to…my only chance to…bring him back!" Mokuba snapped although it was hard for him to look threatening with tears trekking down his cheeks. He turned and buried his face in the crook of his blond hikari.

Marik glared and pulled out his Millennium Rod, "you'll obey me my slaves," Mokuba glanced up as the spirits handed over their various items.

"Oh thank you. Thank you!" Mokuba bounce happily, "Thank you Marik-kio."

A/n: Hey guys' thanks for all the reviews it's really motivating me to write more I swear it is. I'm just dug myself in a hole I think because I know what I want to happen its just getting to that part. So anyway do you think Joey should come back now or is it too soon? Do you think he should come back at all? Should Joey be cursed like the yami's? Will he act like the yami's? Mokuba's relationship with the blond's was just supposed to be a fling but do you think he should stay with them or not? I want your guys' opinions after all you're the ones that have to get stuck reading it. Like I said I know where I want this to go just this middle thing is driving me crazy! And almost making me want to throw in the towel for good, right next part will me centered on the Kaiba's I bet you're sick of reading about everyone else by now.

Another note but doesn't have anything to do with this fic. I've started a new fic in my efforts to finish this one the plot bunny gnaw actually quite a few did which included Ryou being a sex-European god who pretty much sleeps with everyone, and Seto throwing a partner swapping party but because I didn't think I could actually write fics I fed the semi nice bunny the one about Ryou thinking he's a girl and A prince who gang bangs with his friends/advisors, but is force to search the country for a _girl_ to marry if he doesn't find one in the whole kingdom he'll be crowned without having to get married which is what the gay prince is aiming for. Until Ryou comes along! So I don't know why I told you about that but I did cause well I like to hear myself talk uh…runs for the exit


	9. Chapter 9

Title: You Can Cope

Author: Blemery

Rating: PG-13?

Pairing(s): S/J

Beta: Yamichan

Spoilers: none

Summary: Another Mpregfic (Sort of) sorry I really wouldn't have if I didn't get inspired and I almost decide that I would just put different characters in and make it a HP fic but I thought about that and decided this is much better.

A/n: OMG! Yea I'm actually posting. Friday I actually got an idea about what I could do to semi-believably bring Joey back to life! So I started broadening the plot and stayed up all night. Yes all night I haven't slept yet its 8 in the morning here now so I could type his up read it get my friend to read it over for me too, and then read it again and now posting it. I just had to do it that way because I was afraid the idea would leave me if I didn't.

Anyway, I hope I kept everyone in semi-character after all five years is a long time people change. Also, Joey doesn't actually say anything this chapter but it does explain how he comes back and what happens during the time. I'm not sure if I'll give him his memories or not yet I mean the Yamis didn't have them but I probably will it'll be confusing enough with having a son he didn't know about and you know Tristan and Duke dating and just about everything else. So uh any questions or comments about this chapter please go ahead and ask them. As this is an important chapter! Alright so then on to the fic!

Marik ordered his current mind slaves on the opposite sides of the room making a makeshift pentagon, "Malik you have Isis's tauk don't you?" The light nodded standing across from his darker half. "Ryou, what item do you have?"

"The Millennium Eye Master," Ryou's slightly hollowed voice sounded from between the two Egyptian.

The blond dark nodded, "Good, good now lets get started, ummm Mokuba stand behind me please," His raven-haired lover complied standing behind Marik and out of the way. "Next step," Marik held his rod out and began to chant in an ancient language. His item began to glow in a slight bronzish color the words forming into symbols around the five, it wasn't long until Bakura and Yami joined in on instinct and even Malik and Ryou joined in with little knowledge of what they were actually saying.

Mokuba gaped as a short blinding light filled the room and then dimmed out. And in the center of the pentagon laid body laid still on the ground, it jolted violently and then lay still again. Mokuba clapped his hands together, "It worked it worked!" He ran over to hug Marik and then Malik, "Thanks you guys!"

The Egyptians and Mokuba were already starting to celebrate while the still mind-slaves Bakura, Yami, and Ryou moved closer to each other when Joey's body arched back slightly and then let out an inhumane scream without even opening his mouth. The three stopped looking over to the shrieking blond. The three mind-slaves being snapped out of their trances stared in shock.

"Wh-what's going on?" Mokuba pinned his hands to his ears and the howling continued. He looked desperately at his lovers.

The two glanced at each other before turning innocent looks at Mokuba, "We don't know, we've never brought a dead thing back to life," Marik replied a pathetic smile trying to win Mokuba's sympathies.

"RAAA! What did you bakas do?" Bakura yelled at them as Ryou ran to Joey's body trying to be some comfort, trying to be _something_ for the blond body.

"Bakura!" Ryou squeaked drawing away from Joey, "He doesn't have a heart beat!"

"What do you mean he doesn't have a heart beat!" Mokuba looked panicked staring wide-eyed at the still screaming blond.

"For something that doesn't have a heart beat it sure is making all kinds of noise!" Malik commented almost cheerfully.

Yami nodded rushing out of the room to get to the nearest phone calling for the local hospital to tell them that they were coming in. "Of course it's making all kinds of noise!" Bakura growled, "That's his soul screaming!" He responded to what Yami had confirmed with him silently. He moved over to Ryou's side, "Let's get him into the car." Ryou nodded letting Bakura pick the very cold but oddly light body up in his arms.

Yami ran back out from the kitchen, "I called the hospital. And umm I'm going to drive Ryou-chan," he grabbed Ryou's keys with little argument from the tomb-robber's light he got into the drivers seat. Mokuba climbed into the passenger's seat with the blond Egyptians squishing in the back with Ryou Bakura and the limp screaming Joey.

Kaiba continued to read over the contact on his desk circling a few things he liked on it as he went along. Dray sat on the other side of this desk drawing stick figures of his family and friends. Both men jolted when the phone rang and Dray picked it up right away. He knew enough that if the phone just rang then it was most likely Mokuba everyone else had to call his father's assistance and she would notify him over the speaker on his desk that he had a call.

"Hello?" Dray blinked as he could hear panicking and screaming from the background of the phone call. He sighed and handed the phone to Seto, "Uncle Mokuba's probably in jail again."

Seto narrowed his eyes Mokuba had only been in jail once and it had been a misunderstanding it just so happened that Dray was the only one in the office at the time he had called and he had managed to tell Dray most of the story before Seto could intercept and keep his son's mind as innocent as possible. "Mokuba?" He hissed into the phone blinking himself at the noise coming from the other line.

"Seto!" Mokuba's voice sounded shaken up but all together excited to hear from his older brother. "I'm on my way to the hospital. It's an emergency. But don't worry I'm sure everything will be fine. I have to go now! Yami wants to call Yugi! Malik don't touch him! ..."

The line proceeded to be cut off Seto glared at the phone. His brother going to the hospital was never something not to worry about especially with all the screaming he could hear. "Dray, go get your coat we're leave." He told his young son. The boy didn't hesitate to do what he was told.

"Malik don't touch him!" Mokuba scolded again as the young light continued to prod Joey with his index finger. Joey was still shrieking like a demon.

Malik mostly ignored Mokuba but turned his head slightly, "Look he doesn't have any veins." Malik giggled, "Ryou was worried he didn't have a pulse he doesn't even have any veins."

Mokuba glared at Malik, "You're insane you know that. Wow he doesn't have any veins!"

"Of course he doesn't what do you expect from a body that's been dead for five years! That he'd come back completely intact?" Bakura growled angrily, "Of course not he's going to have to nearly grow everything back. Why do you think he's screaming!"

Malik raised an eyebrow, "Really?" he looked excited as he pulled back one of Joey's eye lids.

"EW!" The passengers in the back seat and Mokuba cried out upon seeing the empty socket.

"I wouldn't do that Malik," Ryou said softly, "He probably wouldn't be able to see if his eyes grow back in the sunlight." He then turned and gagged at what he just said and the mental images it brought.

Just as they arrived to the hospital Joey stopped screaming for a moment as they brought him out and ran into the Emergency Center. He looked struggled a bit and his lips parted only a little before the screaming returned just as before, coming from his pained soul not his body. As soon as the screaming began again the ER doctors were on him immediately pushing the other boys aside.

The group looked at each other and then collapsed in separate chairs in the waiting room relaxing after the slight idea. But then Ryou jolted forward, "What do you think the doctors will say when they realize that Joey has no internal body parts?"

Wide-eyed stares shifted between each other before Yami asked the one other important question, "What do you think they'll say when they realize they're working on a five-year dead body?"

Luckily for them no one had time to panic as Seto rushed in with Dray practically jogging at his sides. Seto spotted them instantly running over to hug his little brother, "Mokuba are you alright? Did those bakas hurt you?"

"We would never hurt Mokuba!" Marik growled folding his arms over his chest defensively.

Mokuba blinked at his brother surprised to see him there, "When you called me I panicked! Never use Hospital, Emergency, and worry in the same conversation again!" Seto explained his worry.

"Kaiba, I have to talk to you," Yami stood up and motioned for Seto to follow him aside. Yami slowly and carefully began to explain the situation.

"Bakura!" Dray hugged the other spirit around the middle crawling up into his lap, "What's going on here? Dad was really scared."

Bakura smiled and ran his fingers threw the messy mop of blond hair on the young boy's head, "Hey little one." He turned to look at Ryou for help on the explanation.

"WHAT!" Seto's voice stunned the waiting room. No one moved or said anything as they stared at Seto clenching his first and looking murderous. He turned a glare at his little brother, before turning on his heals, "I'll get on it." He muttered to Yami as he rushed into the ER.

Yami sighed and walked back to the other, "Well there's the answer to our problems," he smiled weakly.

Looking up at the former Pharaoh Dray softly asked, "What did you say to, Dad? I've never heard him yell like that before."

Yami slumped into his seat and sighed rubbing his temples, "You'll see soon enough." He muttered into the palm of his hand.

A few hours later the group stood around a now sedated Joey, in a dark hospital room with a blind over his eyes just in case. There were no machines or wires hooked up to him. After all how could someone monitor a heart that wasn't fully there yet? However since Joey's lungs seemed to be growing his screaming had stopped completely and came out as weak gasps for air. Joey had yet to actually breathe. Putting him on a breathing machine was too risky for the under develop lungs right now. They just had to wait it out and see what would happen.

Seto stood at the end of Joey's bed his eyes narrowed at the body on it. He hadn't said a word to anyone in the room since he had gotten there. Yami and Bakura stood behind him discussing something in low whispers. Ryou and taken to tending to Dray who he was currently feeding snack mix on a chair in one corner of the room. Mokuba stood on the other side of the bed looking at his brother curiously trying to think of something to comfort the other. The two Egyptian blonde's had grown bored and were poking around at the hospital equipment in the room.

"Seto, I thought you'd be happy," Mokuba finally spoke up although voice curved to show how cautious he was to speak.

Cobalt eyes snapped up at Mokuba narrowing angrily he had never looked so mad at anyone least of all Mokuba, "Why'd you do it Mokuba?" He growled. Ending Yami and Bakura's conversation and Marik and Malik's poking, and continuing Ryou's encouraging that Dray eat something.

"I thought you would want it this way! I thought you would want him back!" Mokuba defended, "You're always so lonely you needed him back."

"I didn't want him back," Seto glared at Mokuba, "Look at him. Look at how much pain he's in Mokuba. I didn't want to do that to him. Being dead was the only way to keep him from hurting."

"Well, I didn't know that this would happen, Seto. I just wanted it back to the way it used to be," Mokuba explained trying to defend himself.

"It wouldn't matter if it was like this or not. He would always being in pain. Life is pain. Don't you understand that! Yami and Bakura do that's why they'll never be able to rest as they'll never know a time with out pain, they'll always live. Hell even your little Malik knows it. Why do you think he's as crazy as he is? Yes, I missed him and I wished for him. But I would never want him back alive. Living," Seto hissed as if the word disgusted him.

Mokuba glared, "Don't talk about Malik like that! He's not like that! Not anymore. You don't know anything Seto. At least you can be happy again. Why can't you just accept it, thank me, and get on with it!"

"Get on with it? Get on with what!" Seto snapped, "Look at him can't you see it's impossible to get on with it! Everything's changed Mokuba. You might have brought me a little more comfort and maybe you've made Yugi a bit happier but you've destroyed his life the way it was!"

Clenching his hands into fists Mokuba looked angrily at Seto, "You're being unreasonable Seto! I didn't destroy his life I just extended it!"

"For how long," Seto glared, "Will he even make it through this enough to be conscious of us even being here! Will he have to live eternity in this hell?"

Mokuba stole a glance at Joey for a solid second his lip trembled lightly at the stupidity of his actions but he wasn't going to tell anyone that, "You're wrong Seto! You're going to thank me later! I know you will." He turned and head back to the door, "I'm sorry it happened like this but it will work out I know it will." His Egyptian lovers scrambled to follow him out of the door and away from the boredom.

Seto sighed and looked back down to Joey he had to admit he knew he would be thanking Mokuba. He just couldn't tell if this was for the best yet.

Turning back towards Bakura, Yami continued his conversation, "So you see since we already had are souls and then we wait for our 'bodies' to be created we didn't have to be inside our bodies as they grew so it didn't hurt us any."

"True but we don't have bodies the way he's getting his, I mean we still go into our soul rooms. And if bringing back bodies is this easy why doesn't everyone do it?" Bakura argued.

"Not everyone has insane friends that know ancient spells. Nor do they all have millennium items," Yami said casually. "Now what do I do if the baby is hungry?"

"You feed it baka," Bakura chuckled at Yami's annoyed expression, "its easy just give the baby to Yugi. And if Yugi's not there you know you can come over and I'll show you."

"Aw thanks Bakura I didn't know you cared," Yami smirked.

Bakura glared, "I don't. I just don't want some pathetic human baby to suffer because you're an idiot!"

Yami waved his hand and nodded, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry that was uncalled for. But thanks for the help."

It wasn't long after Mokuba and Seto's fight that Yugi stuck his head in finally arriving after crawling out of bed long enough to check the messages on his machine. He took a few steps before noticing Joey. He stopped moving and his jaw dropped open and he stared in awe at the bed.

"Yami what's going on?" He took the necessary steps so that he was next to his other-half staring up at him wide-eyed.

Yami took a deep breath and stared down at Yugi, "Mokuba and the Ishtars tried to bring Joey back, its taking…a little longer then anticipated."

The short young man tilted his head curiously, glancing over at Joey who had let out a short gasp again. He turned back to the two ancient spirits, "He's going to be alright though, isn't he?"

Yami glanced at Bakura and got a conforming nod, "Yes, we think so."

The shorter turned away from them and tugged a chair over behind Seto. He motioned to the chair for the tall brunette smiling softly. "It might take a while." He whispered softly smiling fondly as Seto sat down and moved to take Joey's cold limp hand. He took a moment to look over his former-best friend before turning around and tugging the yamis out of the room. Ryou followed him a moment later with Dray snug in his arms.

"Let's give him sometime," Yugi suggested but his tone clearly stated not to argue. He turned to the youngest of the group, "Do you want to go to the arcade with us for a little while?"

"Sure," Dray chirped happily he didn't know what was wrong with his Dad but he was more then happy to go with his friends to play video games, especially if Bakura was going to go.

The group of yamis and hikaris stood around the door to Joey's room with Dray by their side they were all trying to decide who was going in to drag Kaiba away so the young man would at least eat.

"He's closest to you go Bakura," Yami hissed his eyes narrowed nodding to the door.

The silver haired spirit glared back, "Closer in distance you mean?" as he was standing closest to the door.

"No, you're like over at his house every day," Malik supplied. Smiling because he knew he was right. Bakura growled at him and Malik wisely stepped behind his yami.

"I'm only over there because of Dray!" Bakura snapped. Why did he have to continue to remind people that? He hated everyone but Ryou. And little cute chibis like Dray.

Marik rolled his eyes, "Touchy. Tch. Just do it already baka!"

"No way! Kaiba can be really scary sometimes!" Bakura waved his hands back and forth for emphasis. Sadly all of the yamis had to agree the hikaris simply rolled their eyes at each other.

"That's it!" Yugi squeaked cutely, "Dray can bring food into him. He's sure to eat that way, don't you think. He can't resist his cute little son."

Bakura looked horrified, "No way what if he hurts Dray. I'm not sending him in there!"

Even Ryou had to stare blankly at Bakura who just held Dray close to him daring anyone to try and take the kid away. Ryou sighed and pulled Dray away, "Kaiba will not hurt Dray, baka." Ryou turned his attention to the young blond, "Want to help kiddo?"

"I guess so. Why's everyone making such a big deal about when Dad eats?" Dray looked a little perplexed he was so confused to why everyone was acting this way. Why he had hardly left the hospital and why his Dad never did. No one even tried to explain to him who that man in bed was. Even though he had heard everyone say his name was Joey, he had however not put together that this was the same Joey that was Serenity's brother or his other Dad.

The group exchanged looks before they all landed on Ryou to answer the kid the best way, Bakura was way too blunt even in this situation for it to be a good idea that he answer the young boy. "Daddy, just needs us now. He's really um…confused and worried right now. So we have to worry about him and take care of him. You can do that, Ne?"

Dray thought for a minute and decided that was the best answer he was going to get for now, "Sou." He nodded in agreement.

Being cautious after Bakura, Marik, and Yami had convinced him he ought to be Dray tip-toed into the near dark hospital room. He glanced around to find his father in his chair beside Joey's bed. He stopped in his tracks just staring in aw at his father. He had never seen his Dad like this before. He couldn't figure out just what it was but the way he looked at Joey and the way he acted because of this new person in the young blond's life was just not how he normally acted.

Taking a deep breath, Dray moved to his father's side. He managed to half crawl in Seto's lap, until it became too difficult what with his hands full of food. Luckily Seto sensed him and tugged him up properly to his lap. Dray quickly settled comfortably into the warm body he sat against. He loved being in his Dad's lap. Everything about it just seemed perfectly right when he did so. It made him taller so he could see everything the right way, the way Seto saw things. Also, Seto was always cleverly placed below him, so if anything bad or scary happened Dray had the other for all the comfort he needed. But besides all that the number one reason he loved sitting in Seto's lap was because he just liked the nearness of his father. It never mattered what he did while in Seto's lap whether cry, laugh, or even just lazily laying against him as Seto watched the weekend news reports on Saturday mornings. The nearness of him made the world perfect. After all Seto was his entire world and being the center of it made it perfect.

Dray had almost forgotten why he was in there but then Seto shifted Dray slightly so the younger could look up at him, and he did so. Seto smiled weakly at him but it didn't meet his eyes, he could tell this. He smiled back though scrunching up his eyes and nose to force it into his eyes as well.

Letting out a short laugh-like sigh at his son's antics, he leant down to kiss his brow, "I love you."

"I love you too," Dray parroted. He knew he loved his Dad and there was no question that Seto loved him too. After all he told him nearly everyday, so the words streamed out without a thought and without time to attach meaning to them. Even if the meaning was still there, the quest after, however was over flowing with meaning, "Want some sandwich?"

Blue-eyes stared down to the younger one's own blue-orbs; he reached over and took the sandwich in his hand. Take a big bite for emphasis chewing slowly swallowing with an added, "Thanks." Before his eyes were torn from his son to stare at the still form of his love. Dray simply leaned into Seto's tightened embrace and sighed contently. Everything was perfect.

Joey was screaming again, he had started screaming since his lungs and vocals had apparently become functional again. At least his mouth wasn't just hanging open anymore with silent screams due to lack of a vocal coordination. From what the doctors, (who had been paid enough to be kept quiet) could figure out he was still growing back everything except his heart and lungs which had fully grown and worked almost as well as before. His lungs breathed only they didn't bring oxygen to his body his heart pumped blood but it had no where to pump the blood too and even less means to get the blood there as the veins had yet to grow. The pumping however had yet to cause any internal bleeding so there was no threat to his life. Just continuous pain as his organs grew, just continuous screaming, continuous thrashing.

Dray had learned after four days of practically living in the environment to tune it out. Seto had learned almost the same thing, if it wasn't for his undivided attention to the blond he might have. Currently Dray was coloring in a book on the floor between the door and the bed humming.

He glanced up when the door opened to see that Tristan, Duke, and Mokuba had arrived the third looked as if he had been forced into coming; he and Seto were still on unspeaking terms.

Immediately hands flew to cover ears and muffle some of the screaming. At least the screams weren't like the beginning, the soul retched, inhumane ones these were human no doubt about it. Dray sighed and looked back at his book picking up a new color and continuing what he was doing. He noticed as Duke walked pass him and over to Seto's side. He couldn't help but feel Tristan ruffle his hair as he followed his lover to the taller brunette's side. Mokuba on the other hand sat down next to the young boy trying to stay out of trouble. Dray pounced on this.

"Hi Uncle Mokuba," he bounced into the others lap, "would you like to see my pictures?" Mokuba nodded silently smilingly lightly at his little nephew. "This one is of a bunny, and this is of a car. Are you paying attention?" He looked back at his raven-haired uncle.

"No," Mokuba said with out thinking his gaze on the screaming blond and his unruly brother. The younger brother sighed and shook himself. "I mean, oh I'm sorry Drago."

Dray pouted putting his book down, "it's fine. Everyone is here to see Daddy or Joey anyway."

The young uncle frowned softly, he always had a soft spot for the younger, the one he had nearly rose by himself for the first month, and he had knitted a place tight in his heart, and now he was tugging on it. "I'm sorry, Dray." He whispered resting his head tiredly against Dray's. He closed his eyes tiredly and drifted off to sleep, he hadn't been getting any since his fight with Seto. Dray turned slightly to look worriedly at his usually over-energitic Uncle. "Sorry." He repeated.

Confused, that was the only thing to describe how Dray felt, almost every day now. He couldn't understand why Mokuba was so sorry, especially to him. He didn't know why everyone he knew was coming to visit a screaming blond man. And he hadn't a clue why his Dad seemed to be completely oblivious of him. "I-I don't…I don't know…" Dray trailed off not sure of what he was trying to say.

Mokuba wasn't sure at first either before his eyes widened in horror looking at the confused little kid in his arms. "You don't know why anyone is doing any of this do you?" Dray shook his head bowing it slightly in embarrassment; he hadn't known he was supposed to know. Why had no one told him yet? "Because, Dray its Joey!"

"What?" Dray knew that it was Joey but why that made a difference he couldn't figure out right then.

Standing, Mokuba placed the younger boy on his feet, "Seto, I'm taking Dray out to get something to eat." The older glanced over a look of panic about him for a moment before he realized it was just his brother and nodded his approval. Taking the smaller hand into his own hand he led the way out of the room and out of the hospital to get something from one of the local shops. Dray smiled shyly, it was good to be outside, it was even better to have his hand held, and having someone pay attention to him was absolutely heavenly.

Father, the blond man was his other _father?_ Joey once had wanted him as a son. So, that was why everyone was acting so strange. Joey, it seemed was cared for deeply by all of his Dad's friends, and especially his Dad. Dray was contemplating this, yes he was contemplating this as he was led back threw the hospital to his, _father's_ room. The idea seemed so foreign to him, sure Seto had sat down no more two weeks ago and explained to him about his other parent, and why he didn't technically have a mother, but it hadn't even occurred to him that this other parent might play a role in his life. He wasn't there. To him he had never been there. He coming back just hadn't even occurred to him, it hadn't even been a fathom of an idea. Even he at his young age, at the age where he still did not understand death, where he was young enough to think anything could come back if someone just really, really wanted it to, he hadn't thought this could ever happen. It was just…weird.

There were still things he didn't understand about what was going on, he hadn't known how to ask about them, truthfully he just didn't understand them because he was too young. He couldn't understand why everyone cared so deeply for this 'Father' of his. They seemed all to know and love him and he didn't seem to possess the same adoration and love for him as everyone else did. He was too young to understand that before him everyone had, had a life, no matter how many stories he was told about it, no matter how many clues there was to it. There being life before he could remember didn't occur to him. Things had always been exactly how he thought them as; there was never a time where he was not around. He was sure of it, so he couldn't figure out this 'father' thing. He just knew he had to believe Mokuba and the others when they told him so.

Mokuba stared at the door to Joey's room nervously his issues with his brother nerving him just enough to make him flatter. Gripping his nephew's hand he forced himself to enter the room. The screaming reached their ears instantly and Mokuba released Dray's hand to cover his ears. The younger seemed to fall back into being used to the noise and proceeded as normally. Although he did take a curious peak at the blond that was screaming but just one before he sat back down on the floor with his book and crayons.

He was scooped up only moments later by his Dad and tugged into a warm embrace. Dray quickly complied hugging him around the neck and painting kisses on his face. "Hi." He chirped happily when Seto held him back after a moment so he could get a good look at him.

Seto smiled softly, "I missed you little dragon. Don't be away so long next time promise?"

Dray agreed promptly not stopping to question Seto's words, after all he had spent nights at many of his friends' houses, even Marik and Malik's one time (with Seto there of course). "Sure! I missed you too, big dragon." Dray smiled happily as he was pulled back into Seto's full embrace snuggling his head against his shoulder.

Seto turned towards his younger brother gracing him with a short, "thank you," but it was clearly for bring Dray back in one piece and not for the mess Mokuba had caused Joey. Sadly the younger brother turned back towards the door leaving the three in the room. As they were before he had come to visit.

Silence.

There was a single moment that was shared in the room as it became completely silent, strange as it was, because not only did Joey abruptly stop screaming but everyone had seemed to think that Saturday was the best day to visit so the room was packed with all of Joey's friends, and of course his son and husband. The group stared around at each other as they registered the silence, before someone decided to break it.

"What do you think happened?" Tristan was the one brave soul to break in with the question most had.

"I'll get a doctor!" Yugi chirped and dashed out of the room, he knew Seto's doctors better then most the rest. Seto had jolted from his seat by that time and was standing over the blond nervously, holding his hand as tightly as ever.

"Joey," he murmured in soft worry. The group of friends took a few steps forward to get a closer look themselves, surrounding the bed. Even the yamis seemed curious as what would happen next, for a fourteen days Joey had been 'with' them, struggling on his own. Seto hardly leaving his side, even to work, which was very strange, but no one would say Seto wasn't devoted, a devoted lover and worker he was just more a devoted lover then a devoted worker. For eleven of those fourteen Joey had been screaming, if the first was counted as one of those days. So sudden silence had to be a good sign right?

Dray pouted, as everyone pushed in and he had absolutely no way of seeing what was going on. Not that he wanted to, he had sort of made up in his mind that he didn't like the other blond. For one he took almost all of Seto's attentions, and Dray was rightfully jealous of that fact, he wasn't sure why else he didn't like the other blond but he was sure he could find plenty of things, if given the right amount of time.

He still wanted to see though because he was as curious if not more so then everyone else. He tried his best to press threw next to Ryou and Bakura probably two of the few people who might actually move to let him see or at least pick up. But then Yugi came in the room with two doctors behind him and everyone was promptly thrown out of the room except for Seto who managed to remind the doctors who was paying them at the moment.

The group separated into smaller ones and sat down in the waiting room, talking a little worrying mostly. Dray felt very out of place in all of this mess he didn't know who to go to. He just wanted, he wanted his Dad. He found himself doing the only thing he could think of to help. He started to cry, loudly. Loud sobs snapped the groups' attention to him or at least most of the group. A few were still untrained in listening for the young boy's crying.

"Dray?" Serenity recovered quickly and cooed towards her young nephew. The young boy ran over to her, his hands rubbing his eyes. He found comfort sobbing into her chest soaking her shirt. She tugged him into her lap (which wasn't like Seto's but would do for the moment) and tried to sooth him over with simple words, soft cooing, and a gentle rub of his back.

The others watched cautiously, a few of them going back to fretting and worrying about Joey and Seto while the rest kept their focus on Dray. "Dray, what's wrong?" Tea leaned over her seat reaching a hand out to rub the back of his head kindly.

"I-I-I," he choked shaking his head back and forth. He didn't want all this attention. He had never really cared that much about it before, although he did get attention from everyone but before it had been just enough. Just the way he liked it, before it he had had Seto. "I want, Daddy!" he said between loud sobs. The groups sympathized with him easily. None had really give Seto's actions a thought to how they were affecting Dray, or maybe he was just worried about Joey too.

Bakura growled and got up to go beat some sense into the older Kaiba but Ryou pulled him back. "That's not a good idea 'Kura," he whispered to him settling his head on the other's shoulder. Seto did need to be with Joey right then, Dray wasn't used to having to share Seto and the last few weeks probably hadn't been the best way to introduce him into doing so but right now it couldn't be helped. There wasn't anything they could do.

It wasn't long before Dray cried himself into exhaustion; Serenity was holding him across her lap with out a problem or a complaint as she waited for news about her brother. She continued to pet Dray's mop remained herself about how much she enjoyed seeing her brother's hair on the little boy's head.

"Seto!" Yugi chirped jumping to his feet and giving an over-joyed hug to the CEO. Only because he was used to the smaller young-man did Seto instinctively return the hug instead of ruthlessly throwing him off.

"What is it Seto, big brother?" Mokuba stood from his seat as did many of the group, minus Serenity and Dray for obvious reasons.

"H-he's sleeping," Seto felt the words fall off his lips but he couldn't figure them out either, how could Joey be sleeping, how could Joey even be here, sure he knew he was. He had hardly looked away from the blond for two weeks. But it was just…_sleeping_, it was hardly like screaming and still trying to grow body parts, it was more…alive. He bit his lower lip softly, a habit he had picked up from Joey actually, before continuing, "Well more in a coma or something I guess. H-he seems to be umm…all there, he just needs to wake up? They don't know when he'll do so. But, his breathing seems normal and so does his pulse."

"Pulse?" Malik blinked. Even the Egyptian seemed to think pulse was a strange word to associate with something dead. As he had been, even up to that point. Although before he had, had a heart beat, it had been just that, just a beating in his chest, now it was a pulse something, found on the wrist.

Marik smiled smugly and turned to walk out the door, "I told you it would work." His lighter half chased after him excitedly as he thought of other things they could bring back to life, for instance his road kill collection.

"Malik that's not a good idea!" Mokuba groaned and rushed after the two blonde's hopefully he could distract the two, with possibly make-up sex; they had been fighting since his fight with his older brother.

Seto glanced at the rest of the group for their comments. Tristan, Tea, and Duke seemed to think that leaving, considering that it was dark out was a good idea. Serenity stood up as well handing Dray over to Seto before kissing the young boy's forehead. "You take care of him now Seto. He was really upset before."

Seto nodded sheepishly he could see that threw the tear stains against his son's cheek. He held the younger boy against his chest. He felt a need to have his son as close to him as possible he needed the comfort the young boy brought to him unknowingly.

"We'll go too," Yugi chirped directing his 'we' to the four left standing. He smiled brightly, "Call us if something changes, ne?"

Seto nodded, "I will. Thank you." He replied to the small light watching the four go he hugged his son subconsciously closer to him. Turning he headed back towards Joey's room taking comfort from his family.

Seto had left, he had gone out. He was talking to the doctor in the hall. Dray had watched him go. He knew he had, but it was weird to be alone in the room with just his, _father_? He glanced over to the bed curiously. And then looked about as if he was going to do something very naughty and he didn't want to be caught.

Seeing that no one was in the room Dray pushed himself from the floor, he wanted to see what this whole thing was about twenty days was a long time to be waiting around for this guy anyway. Trending softly Dray moved over to the side of the bed to get a good look. He climbed into the chair that sat nearly touching the bed and stood on it leaning over the bed. His small hands pressed into the side of the bed so he could lean properly.

What he saw surprised him. The soft features on the older man's face that rose and fell with his steady breathing complemented the blond hair that crowned his head, nearly the same blond hair that he himself had. Staring at the man, like this, in just this way, Dray could almost see why his Dad had spent twenty days glued to his side.

Dray had an over whelming feeling in his chest as he moved his small hands to push against the blonde's slight arm, he whispered a soft, "Wake up now. Please wake up now, please." He said softly pushing softly a few times his eyes glistening a little bit when he didn't get any response. He wasn't sure why he wanted the other to wake. He just did. He knew that's what everyone else wanted, and he had wanted it too because of them, but never like this before. He needed Joey to be awake he _needed_ him to be.

He crawled onto the bed straddling the blonde's upper body without a thought of not to. His knees curl under and behind him so that his bare feet pressed against the other's hips gently. He reached up and put his hand on either side of the blonde's face, so that if the blonde's eyes were open he would have to be looking at him. He held his head in place moving his own head so it was nearly nose to nose with the other before he said in a slightly stern no-nonsense-Seto-Kaiba sort of voice, "Get. Up. Dad. Now!"

Chocolate eyes snapped open.


	10. Chapter 10

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: T  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: Yamichan (Yea I'm happy I got one too! Yea and I really recommend reading I wonder. It's amazing, but only if you're a fan of Darkshipping!)  
Warings: Hintings of Mpreg. YAOI! Sorry there is hinting at Yaoi in this one, so careful. Hopefully it doesn't get more then what's in this chapter then I don't have to raise the rating!

Spoilers: none

Summary: Dray gets startled when Joey wakes up, Joey gets to go home and spends quality time with all his friends, but things seemed to have changed and Joey can't figure out why! Dray is a horribly bratty in this chapter but he is a Kaiba and I seem to remember a semi-bratty Mokuba from the beginning of the series. (You know the ones they wouldn't play on forkids!)

A/n: This will be quick I promise, as mostly people will read the end notes more then the head notes I just want to thank everyone for their reviews! It really inspired me to get this chapter out right away! To think I was going to wait until at least Saturday to do it! But nope, thanks to you guys I'm keeping this fic going. Thanks again Fear of Falling, Barbed Wire, Star, Kaibasbabe, Mandapandabuy, Saffron-starlight. And as there was no strange questions about Joey's come back I guess I explained it pretty well!

* * *

Dray didn't know what he had expected when he asked the blond to wake up but it wasn't like he thought he would really do it! After all he hadn't woken up prior too it. His surprise at seeing Chocolate eyes stare back at his own had him reeling back and falling over the edge of the bed hitting the chair on the way down. Dray landed on the floor with a loud thud and there was a half a moment of silence before he let out a long loud wail!

Seto rushed in immediately the doctors he had been talking to followed him instinctively. The brunette kneel down next to his wailing son without taking note of the blond peering over the side of the bed to get a better look at the crying one. "Dray, you're alright." Seto reassured looking him over as he rested a soothing hand on the small child's back. Looking him over, he noticed that Dray was clenching his arm to his chest sobbing loudly. "Let me see." He commanded.

Tugging away from his Dad, he shook his head violently, "NO!" he sobbed. It hurt much too bad for anyone to touch he knew that much.

Refraining from raising his voice Seto took a few deep breathes rubbing circles against his little ones back, "Dray, I need to see it. Please, I'll be careful."

The little blond nodded reluctantly and turned into his father to reveal his bruised arm. Seto softly ran a hand over the forearm pursuing his lips, "Where does it hurt the most?" Dray pressed his finger against the sorest part of his arm. Seto softly checked it out taking care not to put his son in anymore discomfort. He smiled lightly and kissed the spot. "Come on. I think it'll be fine."

Dray shook his head back and forth, "N-no it wouldn't," he whimpered hugging his arm protectively.

His usually cold blue eyes sympathized with him warming softly for him. He tugged Dray into his arms and stood up kissing his brow. "You're fine." He reassured.

One of the three doctors cleared her throat gaining Seto's attention, "Kaiba-san…" she trailed off, holding out an arm brace. "It'll help make his injury better." She smiled brightly offering the cloth sling.

"He doesn't need it," Seto reassured there was nothing more then a few bruises if even that. He didn't need to walk around with a sling.

Dray clenched his hands into fist around Seto's shirt looking up at him, "Yes I do, Dad. I need it." Seto opened his mouth to protest but he figured it wouldn't do the younger boy any harm so he nodded his allowance. He stood impatiently waiting as the doctor helped Dray put the sling around his shoulder so that his arm hung loosely against his chest. Dray smiled happily when she was done, he knew it had helped because he already felt so much better.

Seto, turned from the doctors with Dray still propped up against his hip his mouth promptly fell open when he saw that Joey was staring back at him, probably in more shock then he felt right at the moment.

Darting his tongue out to lick his lips, Joey opened his mouth to speak and then abruptly stopped. He had never had his mouth feel so dry before, it was by far worse then any cotton-mouth; there would be no way he could croak out anything like this. He frowned and pressed out a pout at his disadvantage.

Spotting the problem right away Seto turned to the table beside the bed and poured the blond a glass of water, without setting his son down, (a skill learned after so many bottle runs). Joey smiled happily reaching to take the glass but finding it slightly difficult, especially since Seto decided to by pass that step and press the lip of the cup to his mouth himself. The blond scowled at the unwanted help but drank eagerly until Seto pulled back the cup.

"Don't try to speak right now. Rest some more and recover your strengths. I'm going to go call Yugi and the others and tell them your awake they'll probably be by in the morning. Just…just please rest. I'll be back shortly." Seto pleaded with the usually stubborn blond.

Frowning at being told what to do Joey didn't comply right away. After a moment, Seto didn't seem too pleased about his lack of response and Joey found himself nodding with a quick apologetic smile. The brunette rolled his eyes and set Dray down on the side of Joey's bed. "I'll be right back Dray, stay with Joey please. But don't cause him too much trouble. Can you do that little dragon?"

"Sure!" Dray chirped happily as he absentmindedly played with the strap that lay over his shoulder. "I'll see you soon, big dragon!" he called after Seto. As the brunette set about doing what he needed to before he had a chance to indulge in what he wanted.

Joey stared down at the little blonde boy sitting on his bed playing with his sling. The kid seemed so familiar but he couldn't place what made him so familiar. Feeling that Joey was looking at him Dray's sapphires shifted up to meet Joey's. Dray smiled at him and Joey smiled back. Dray didn't know what else to do so he simply hopped off the bed and went over to color some more too. The older blonde stared after the blue-eyed child, so much like Seto, Joey flinched at the idea, and Seto having a child would mean that there was a girl, a woman, didn't it?

Feeling tired and heavy although it felt like he had been 'sleeping' along time before that, Joey shut his chocolate eyes and fell into dream-filled sleep (1).

* * *

Arriving as soon as visiting hours began, Yugi, Ryou, and their respective other halves made their way back towards Joey's room. Apparently none of them have jobs, or lives. Ryou knocked politely earning a look from the other three; he shrugged turning the handle and entering the room.

"Awe how cute," Yugi squeaked seeing Seto hunched over in his chair sleeping restlessly. Dray was in a second bed that was brought in every night by a few of the nurses. Joey seemed to be asleep again though making the shortest male frown sadly.

Bakura simply walked over and got extremely close to the newly reformed blonde. He pinched his cheek curiously, "Hey he does feel solid." Yami looked excited joining his side and pulling the blonde's eyelid back, to meet a white-twitching eye ball.

"Hey his eyes are still broken," Yami pouted snapping the lid back in place. Joey yelped and sat up blinking around at his guests fully awake now. Seto was stirring at the noise.

"No see, they're fine," Bakura poked his finger at one of the eyes, "Whole as ever."

The tri-haired spirit nodded his consent, reaching out to pat Joey's head roughly, "His hairs still a mess."

"Tch, what did you expect the thing doesn't know how to use a comb," Bakura tweaked Joey's ear.

"'Ey stop dat!" Joey croaked bitterly swatting the spirits away. The second he said it his hands were at his throat it felt funny to talk, like a burning dry feeling. He whimpered and lay back down.

Seto glared at the yamis turning to Joey he smiled softly, "Don't strain yourself, pup." He poured Joey a second glass of water but allowed Joey to drink himself that time. Joey smiled sheepishly sort of wondering why he was in a hospital but he didn't say anything more.

Ryou gave Bakura a look, "Bakura, bad." He scolded. The yami looked hurt and went to sit in the corner.

Yugi on the other hand couldn't restrain himself any long launched on his blonde friend, "Joey! I'm so glad your back. I missed you so much!" He sobbed into Joey's shirt. "Wait until I tell you everything that's happened!"

The blonde rubbed Yugi's back reassuringly handing his glass back to Seto he clear his throat and tried to speak again, "I 'issed you too. 'Ugi…demo didn't I see ya like yesterday?" He choked again wincing at the pain in his throat. Seto offered him the cup again which he gladly accepted.

Wide-amethyst eyes stared up at Joey, "You mean-you don't…"

"Dad?" Yugi was cut off from continuing by the chirp of the little blonde that had come to stand next to the end of the bed. "I have to go potty," he replied sheepishly looking up to Seto for help.

The brunette nodded reaching down to pick up the still sleepy chibi, he turned taking Dray into the conjoining bathroom, usually Dray could go on his own, but in the morning he sometimes liked the help of his Dad.

Chocolate eyes widened in pure horror. "H-he's…S-s-seto's?"

"Tch, whose else would he be," Bakura snarled still pouting about being scolded. Joey bowed his head and nodded lightly the fringe of his hair falling into his eyes. He didn't know why it hurt so much, he knew Seto wanted kids. He had been told that many times before, and he had planned sometime after the first time he was told that, that he would have his fill of Seto and then let him get married to a nice girl and have a normal life with a 'normal' family…and maybe a dog. Joey faintly smiled at that thought, but the fact that Seto was a father, and he must have a nice girl back at home tore at his heart. He just didn't except the whole idea to hurt so much. And it did. He wanted kids too; he wanted that kid to be his and Seto's. Why couldn't it be? He stared at his hands sadly. It never even occurred to him to realize that the last time he 'saw' Seto was yesterday, and yesterday Seto didn't have a son, let alone a five-year-old one. The pain he felt, blocked out any room for common sense.

Mokuba rushing into the room with his two lovers trailing him refraining Yugi, further, from telling the blonde that he didn't just see him yesterday, "Setooo?" Mokuba tripped over air and stumbled a bit going towards the bathroom when he didn't see him in the room, "Oh hi Joey!" he chirped not saying anything more to the blonde as he rushed into the bathroom. If he had stopped, Joey might have actually noticed that Mokuba wasn't a teenager anymore. While five years wouldn't be noticed on his friends very much, going from teenager to college student was a big change and Joey would have noticed that immediately.

Malik and Marik walked over to Joey's bed, Malik reached over and flicked Joey's check, "Well he feels solid," Malik nodded.

Marik looked excited and pulled back Joey's eyelid to 'see' his newly formed eye-ball, "Look his eyes are still broken," he chirped snapping the lid back into place.

"Nu-uh Marik, look!" Malik poked his finger in Joey's eye, "See whole as ever."

Joey flinched back after that the shocked at being prodded again wearing off, "'Ey stop dat!" The blondes shrugged and looked around boredom taking over. It wasn't long however that Seto and Mokuba fell out of the bathroom the two heading straight for the other door. Seto did not look the least bit happy. Mokuba exited right away but Seto turned back to order the group around.

"I have to go to the office. There are some problems with disgruntled former employees. Joey's probably going to go home today so will you make sure he gets there, Yugi?" Seto earned a quick nod from the short male, "Bakura, will you keep an eye on Dray for me until I get home. I don't want him going out though."

"Sure I'll take care of the kid," Bakura brightened up from his sulking in the corner.

"We'll take him back to your house with Joey and the others," Ryou added to reassure the brunette CEO.

Blues lingered over towards Joey he wanted to say something but he didn't know how to word it. Sighing in defeat he turned to go, "'Eto be careful." The rough Brooklyn accent stopped his movements. He turned a smile back at his once-lover giving a nod of agreement before leaving the room.

"Hey, does this mean we get to play with Joey as much as we want to?" Malik smiled happily. Patting Joey's hair roughly, "His hairs still a mess."

Yugi shook his head, "Stop that guys, leave him alone."

Dray peaked out of the bathroom seeing all the new arrivals he brightened up running over to Bakura and giving him a hug, "'Kura-kun can you take me to get something to eat?" The blonde whined he smiled up cutely at the former-tomb-robber. Bakura was a sucker for little kids that whined cutely at him, that's why he was in love with Ryou, so he quickly agreed and brought the Ishtars with him to the lunch room. Yugi and Ryou went to go ask the doctors about when Joey could leave.

Leaving Joey alone with Yami, the Pharaoh looked around nervously; he had never been around a dead person that was brought back before. He rocked on his feet nervously he whistled, but because he didn't know any songs he stopped not much longer. "Sooooo…"

Joey gazed at Yami worriedly, "So?" He cocked his head to one side he had never seen Yami so nervous, least of all because of him. He tried to smile encouragingly but it didn't seem to be working, "'Ey, don't be like dat buddy. I'm 'ot gonna break or nothin'."

Yami forced a weak smile. He pursued his lips playing with his hands trying to think of something to say. And minus the thinking part he did end up saying something, "what's it like?" he quickly covered his mouth in embarrassment his checks flushing over his tanned skin.

"'at's 'at like?" Joey stared looking just about as confused as he ever had been, maybe more so. He shook his head and did what he learned was best in this situation. To change the subject, "Is dat a new collar?"

Lighting up, Yami nodded eagerly, "Yes it is. I was so excited when I found it. Isn't it cool?" He smiled brightly and began to speak rapidly about it. "I found it at this store at the mall that I never even thought about going into before, because it smells sort of funny. Anyway I went over to the section that said toys and there were all these really cool sex toys, I would have never even guess they had that many 'squeaky' toys, I don't even know what a 'squeaky' toy is but it must be very popular. Anyway over by the whips with feathers at the end of it, were leashes, and next to the rack of leash were all these collars! Some of them weren't very good, just to go with the leashes I guess, but this one…well it has spikes. See the spikes; aren't they cool?"

Joey nodded his head following the story as best he could. Wait, 'squeaky' toys…Joey cocked his head again, he was about to question the name of this 'sex' store (2), but Yugi, Ryou and his doctors walked in. And then he was going home. For some reason, Yami didn't think it was a good idea for Ryou to drive.

* * *

Joey was brought into Kaiba's front room; he was put on the couch and told not to move for anything. All day his friends waited on him hand and foot, he didn't much care for that he didn't like feeling useless, but he was feeling tired and the group seemed to be begging for him to ask for things. Even Tea, Serenity, Duke, and Tristan did when they came by. The strangest part about that was that Serenity looked different to him some how but he couldn't seem to place why. A new hair cut maybe? Dress? He just didn't know what it was. And then there was Tristan and Duke, the way they acted around each other, not that he cared, but he knew they were hiding something from him.

Dray, Seto's son however was giving him the once over all day. He didn't seem pleased at all that everyone was paying so much attention to him. However, whenever he glanced over at the child he would duck his head and act like he hadn't been watching him. He thought it was sort of cute but he was constantly worried about when his Mum would come home. Who she was? He had blonde hair? Did she have blonde hair like he did; the eyes however were Seto's. So was the way he acted, it was a refined, younger version of Seto, there was no doubt in his mind. It pained him to think that way. But even he had to admit that the little one was cute.

Tristan stretched back on his side of the couch yawning loudly he glanced over a Joey, he was still getting used to the fact that his best friend was there, mere inches from him. It was strange but he certainly wasn't complaining. He glanced back at the television where the group had agreed to let Dray watch the dubbed version of Milo and Otis, none of the group would admit it but they all really enjoyed the movie as well.

"NO! Milo!" Yami called out when the cat fell into the river. "Otis you have to safe Milo!"

Yugi snickered at his yami, "you've seen this like a billion times Yami!"

"Shut your hikari up, Pharaoh!" Bakura snapped leaning closer to the movie with Dray on his lap watching contently.

Yami threw a pillow near Yugi without taking his eyes off the screen. "Milo," he clenched his fist and hoped for the best; "You can do it. Just believe in the heart of the cards…I mean Otis yea the heart of Otis."

Ryou and Yugi exchanged looks before falling over in laughter; neither could wait until the part that the two big, bad, darks started balling like babies near the end of the movie. Marik groaned and threw something at the Television from his arm chair, "This is stupid! Ra, who cares about that cat!"

Malik nodded against his yami, the young blonde-light was currently sitting in his lap. He arched up playfully and moaned, "I wish Mokie was here. Mmm he'd take care of this ache in my pants."

His darker half bent his head and nipped the nape of Malik's throat grabbing the half-stiffened cock threw his jeans, "We could play until he comes home."

Bakura covered Dray's wandering eyes, "Bakas there are children in the room. Yugi cover your eyes." The shorter duelist giggled putting a hand over his and Ryou's eyes.

Duke stood from his seat next to the pair of blonde's that were currently making out and took refuge in his boyfriend's arms, "Hentai, Ishtar."

The two blondes, ignored (or didn't notice) the others in the room. Marik began to tug Malik's jeans down over his hardness. Dray gasped having removed Bakura's hand just so. The tomb-robber glared pushing Dray from his lap he leapt up and jumped on the pair. Malik screamed and darted out from underneath him running out of the front room. Marik glared up at Bakura before joining his hikari, Bakura's look left no room for arguing.

"What were they doing?" Dray's eyes were wide and owlish as he stared helplessly at his friends. He turned to Tea and Serenity as the boys seemed to be stumbling over their words.

"That would be the word, let's-not-tell-Daddy-about-what-we-saw-today," Tea smiled happily at her logic. At least they could convince Dray on not tattling on them.

Dray stared at the group who all nodded eagerly, minus Joey who wasn't sure what to think, his eyes were suddenly trained on the pair of men sitting next to him. Dray smirked Kaiba-like and spoke up, "What do you think, _Joey?_"

The blonde jumped and he turned to meet Dray's questioning gaze. He didn't know how to answer the youngest Kaiba so he tried changing the subject, hey it worked for Yami. "Isn't Mokuba a little young ta be datin' dose hentais?" Joey asked.

"Don't change the subject, imbecile," Dray chided much like Seto would one of his employees.

Joey looked a little taken aback by a young kid calling him an idiot, but then again this was Seto's kid, inside and out. He glanced around the room. He noticed that Bakura was trying to hold back a laugh at 'the kids' word choice and that Yami had gone back to watching the film, and that Tristan was…playing with Duke's hair. "I knew it!"

The pair just stared at Joey in slight confusion. They had no idea what Joey was going on about. It probably wasn't very much, considering how much he 'knew.' Serenity cleared her throat, "What are you talking about, Joey?"

"Dose two!" Joey pointed at the pair, "Dey've been actin' funn' all day!" He turned his attention to the pair putting a hand on Tristan's shoulder, "I wouldn't've been mad if ya would've told me. You shouldn't hafta keep secrets from me ya know. I'm your best friend."

Tristan's eyes widened, "No Joey! I wasn't keeping it a secret from you! I just forgot you didn't know about us!"

Joey wrinkled his nose cocking his head in confusion, "How'd ya forg't something like dat?"

"Well…" Tristan looked at the rest of the group for help he didn't know what to say luckily the one that was half on top of him did have something to say although it probably wasn't the best thing that could have been said at the time.

"We're just used to it," Duke explained, "We've been flirting around and playing for years now."

"Years!" Joey's chocolate eyes grew to the size of saucers. He turned glassy eyes up at his best friend, "You've been 'eepin' it a secret 'or years!"

Tristan scrambled to his feet rushing to Joey's side. He put a hand on his shoulder, "It's not like that Joey. Honest! You'd be the first person I'd tell." Joey glanced up to him plead for him that it was as he said.

"I already knew," Dray said slyly a wicked grin spreading over his face, but none of his caretakers took at as anything but innocent. None of them wanted to think otherwise about the chibi.

Tristan turned a glare towards Dray but stopped halfway, he couldn't blame the kid. Joey looked crushed, obviously if Dray knew then others had to know, he couldn't picture either Tristan walking up to the kid and going 'hey I'm dating Duke,' nope that was just weird! Even for Tristan. Joey folded his arms and looked away from Tristan. The brunette groaned moving around trying to get Joey to look at him but Joey continued to look the other way.

"Joey! Don't acted like this!" Tristan whined. But Joey wouldn't turn his attention to his best friend. Defeated Tristan fell back on the couch looking crushed. Duke put a reassuring arm around him. He rested his head on Tristan's shoulder until Tristan finally complied and put a loose arm around him lying back against him. "Sorry…why does he have to be difficult about this?" He muttered after most of the group turned their attention back to the movie.

Duke shook his head, "He's not being difficult, Trist-kun. It's has to be hard for the mutt to understand something this complex. He couldn't even understand a simple dice game," well at least Duke had tried to be comforting, but it just wasn't in his nature. Not when he knew Joey was listening.

The brunette shook his head, "That's not nice," he hit Duke playfully. The raven-haired dice-master pouted and acted as if his shoulder might just fall off from the attack. "Jerk," Tristan pacified him with a kiss, "And that's all you get."

Joey groaned and rolled his eyes, "'Kay, I get it. Ya love each other." He shrugged before smiling lightly, "But as long as it makes you happy buddy. Next time just tell me, 'kay. And if he 'ives ya any trouble you tell me, ya hear. I wouldn't stand for dat!"

The brunette nodded his agreement, "So…where's your phone?" Duke growled tackling him to fall against the couch attacking his lips punishing him for his words. Joey chuckled and swiftly pushed them off the couch. He glanced up to see the rest of the group smiling at him kindly, it was sort of unnerving but he didn't say anything.

* * *

"Bye Joey-kun, I'll see you tomorrow or something," Yugi waved happily from the front room's door leaving with the last of the others. Seto had arrived a few hours back along with his little brother who had promptly ran off to find his Egyptian lovers. Although quite turned off by the fact that a teenage was dating those loons Joey couldn't complain as he wasn't really his little brother. Joey was just over protective of anything with the stamped, Seto Kaiba logo on it. Currently the other stamped Seto Kaiba logo was kneeling on the floor eating a bowl of ice cream and hot fudge; he was concentrating greatly with what ever seemed to be going on in the news at the current moment. Joey was watching as he stirred up his ice cream so it was melted just enough that he no longer had to chew it.

Seto returned to his spot on the couch, next to the blonde he smiled at Joey, his mind swirling with emotions with feelings, he so badly wanted to touch Joey, to kiss him, hold him, things he had long to do since his death, things he had wished they had spent more time doing when he was alive. He just wanted Joey, to be his, again. However, his current role of parent stopped him from doing anything but admiring his newly-arrived-lover.

"He's cute," Joey amused drawing Seto's attention to his son who was currently lapping the ice cream with his tongue, forgetting suddenly what a spoon was to be used for and getting it all over his chin. Seto shook his head smiling brightly; he couldn't be mad at Dray for being the five-year-old he was. "He looks like you," Joey continued a sad waver in his forced-casual tone.

Seto smirked glancing over to Joey; he didn't know how many times he had looked at Dray and thought he looked exactly like Joey. Having the reverse said to him was kind of funny and very sweet. Joey turned his own gaze to meet Seto's smiling brightly, "Who's his Ma?" Joey frowned as he watched Seto's appearance change from utter happiness to just plain confusion. Joey bit his lip softly feeling extremely guilty, maybe the kids Ma wasn't with Seto anymore. Maybe that upset Seto. Joey knew he always wanted to raise his children in a proper family. Maybe Joey's being their drove her away, after all it would be sort of hard having your husband's ex-_boyfriend_ as a guest, even if he had just gotten out of the hospital. Why had he been in the hospital? He didn't feel sick or hurt at all? Why was Seto being so nice to him, when it was obvious that they didn't have a relationship anymore? Did whatever happen to Joey somehow rekindle Seto's feelings for him? Wait wasn't it just yesterday that they were dating? Joey could swear it! No, no maybe Seto was just that important to him that is _seemed_ like only yesterday when it was really a long time ago. Or maybe he was one of the memory-loss patience! Like in the movie, he had seen, the one where the guy tattooed things on his arms so he would remember everything. Maybe he couldn't remember things more then a day old. And 'yesterday' was really years and years ago! But if that was true, then why was he getting out of the hospital, years and years later. Suddenly Joey's head hurt very much.

"You are," Seto finally managed to answering. He watched Joey carefully judging his reactions. Confusing Joey even more probably wasn't Seto's intention but the small 'ache' in his head suddenly grew Everest-huge at that. Joey just started at Seto in confusion. How could he be Dray's Ma? He was a boy wasn't he! Last time he remembered was that boys didn't have kids. Unless Dray was adopted, Joey shook his head on that Dray looked too much like Seto to be adopted. In fact now that Joey looked Dray looked sort of like him too, his hair certainly could use a comb. But, boys don't have kids! Right! "Oh Joey," Seto looked shocked as he register, by Joey's look of utter horror mixed with confusion, how little Joey actually knew of what happened. Apparently, Joey had forgotten ever being pregnant; explaining that and the fact that he had been dead five years was going to take some work. But first he had to get the little chibi too bed.

He leaned over Joey's shoulder, "I'll explain everything too you. Just let me get Dray to bed."

"But, Dad!" Dray whined, apparently the words bed and Dray were trained for that response, "I'm not tired at all! Can't I stay up with you?"

Seto shook his head grabbing Dray up in his arms and moving out the door. Joey followed aimlessly he didn't want to be alone with all those confusing thoughts right then. So he settled for watching Seto be fatherly. "Brush your teeth."

"No!" Dray gagged, "Look my teeth aren't falling out do I have to?" Seto nodded his head handing Dray his blue-eyes white-dragon shaped tooth brush. Dray pouted for the whole two minutes that Seto counted out while he brushed his teeth. He stuck his tongue out when he was finished, "Meanie."

"If you thought that was mean," Seto held out a wet cloth to his complaining son, usually Dray wasn't this bratty but then again Seto usually didn't force him into bed. "You have ice cream all over, next time I suggest you use a spoon."

"What's a spoon?" Dray replied mockingly as he wiped his face off. "It's only a mean to restraint my creativity."

"Who told you that, crap?" Seto turned Dray out the door and marched the two of them to Dray's room, Joey still followed after restraining himself from snickering at the cute father-son act that he was allowed to witness.

"Tea," Dray replied, "That's why she never follows the beat of the music." Seto rolled his eyes and tugged out Dray's favorite set of pajamas. The ones with the blue-eyes all over them, and his name embodied on the back, Seto helped him with the shirt but let him alone with the pants.

Dray started up at him when he was done. Seto stared back down, "Bed!"

"I don't want to," Dray whined, "Come on please let me stay up with you. Please, please!"

"No, you can sleep on the floor for all I care but you have to go to sleep," Seto ordered, he was firm on his order but there was still a lightness to his tone. He didn't mind how Dray was acting because he was simply acting five he couldn't hold it against him.

"Big Dragon please," Dray tugged on his hand and pleaded with him his sapphire's sparkling hopefully.

"I'm sorry, tomorrow you can stay up later, but tonight I have to talk to Joey," Seto finally replied exasperated.

Dray shot look at the blonde that was currently watching from the door way. He narrowed his eyes hauntingly. He turned back to his father; there was no way he was going to bed now. "Please Dad! Just put him in the doghouse like you said he belonged!"

Joey snorted following his arms over his chest; it would figured that Seto would say that to his son, although, Joey was quite fond of the usual dog-bantering now. Seto gave Dray a parental look and Dray squeaked before running over to his bed and lying down promptly. Seto nodded moving over to tuck the light blanket around him. He leaned down to kiss his forehead, "I want no more nonsense out of you, tonight. Go to bed little dragon, I'll see you in the morning."

"G'night, Dad!" Dray chirped wrapping his arms around Seto's neck and placing a kiss on his lips. "Love you," he yawned as he settled back against his pillow.

"Love you too," Seto ruffled his main before heading to the door flicking the lights off. The only light that remained on was the small nightlight in the shape of, yes, a blue-eyes white dragon.

Joey waiting until Seto shut the door before speaking quietly, "Tryin' ta brainwash 'im with all your dragon-merchandise?"

Seto shook his head, "Actually no, he picked all that out himself." He smiled lightly as he realized that kid was _his _son. He moved over to his room, his and Joey's he reminded and led the blonde in. He moved over to the couch that was neatly placed in front of the fire place on one side of the room, opposite his bed. He gestured for Joey to sit down and the blonde did so, "I promised I would explain everything to you. Let me just get some things that will make this much easier to believe. You'll be alright by yourself for a little while."

"I'm not gonna keel over and die or nothin'," Joey snapped light-heartedly. Seto froze for a moment a frightened look appearing over his features, Joey wondered briefly when Seto started to show his emotions so well. Seto then shook himself and moved over to his desk casting nervous looks at Joey continuously, just in case he did keel over and die. Seto had a right to be concerned after all.

Finally after printing a few things out and grabbing a couple home movies that had been taken while Joey had been pregnant Seto moved to sit next to Joey. "Alright, I want you to listen to everything I have to tell you before interrupting or deciding if you believe me or not, but everything I say is the truth. I wouldn't lie to you."

"I know," Joey whispered softly he noted the nervousness and worry that laced Seto's composure.

Joey scoot closure leaning into Seto wrapping his arms around the taller man leaning over he pressed a kiss against Seto sweet lips. The brunette stiffened as he felt his first kiss in a little over five years, the magic seeping into it as though the time span had never happened. Relaxing Seto returned the kiss sparking something that he had once could only remember he quickly wrapped his arms around Joey tugging the blonde against him deepening the kiss. He needed this so much. He needed if for so long. Tears were brought to his eyes, he couldn't help those. It had been so long. He didn't think he could let go. He didn't want to stop. Even after the kiss slipped apart he couldn't stop. Joey's skillful lips traced up his jaw and down his throat never breaking contact with apart of his skin. Seto let his clothes be removed, and he drank in the sight of Joey's own flesh as it met his. Seto remembered fleetingly that he was supposed to be telling Joey something very important but for the life of him he couldn't stop for even a moment to remember what he was supposed to tell him.

Seto let himself go into the night, he let himself relearn everything about Joey, things that had started to slip from his memory, like ways to make him moan and exactly where that super-sensitive spot was on the base of his prick. He didn't let anything else matter, for the moment nothing else did. "I…missed…you," he panted out hissing lightly as he couldn't seem to catch his breath. Joey pressed a kiss to his lips in response.

But besides all of that, words, that Seto had regretted not saying the night Joey had requested him to, were exchanged. He heard Joey's love from him it sang around the room and his own emotional words followed just as they were finally crashing into an exhausted state of sleep, entwined together on the couch placed in front of the fire place. Printed pages and old movies left mixed in with clothes on the floor next to them. Joey reached behind him tugging a light quilted blanket around them before settling his head against the other's shoulder and drifting off into a blissful sleep.

* * *

­­­­­­­­­­­

(1) I had to number this. It tweaks me so much when people write their characters into a dreamless sleep. Dreamless sleeps are bad! If people don't dream when they sleep they don't get the proper sleep they need and therefore are not rested when they wake up the next day. Sorry that's the Psych major talking.

(2) If you couldn't figure it out from the description Yami found the cool spiked collar at the local pet shop! I thought that would be sort of funny so yea!

a/n: So Joey still doesn't realize that five or however many years has passed since he last remembered. Eventually, his pregnancy may come back to him, that's sort of a hard thing to forget but he probably wouldn't remember giving birth, that would be sad remembering how one died. So anyway next chapter you find out how Joey reacts to the news. And poor Dray will be increasingly more jealous for a while yet. I suddenly wish I could draw so everyone could see how cute Dray is though! Well of course you all know that, he is Seto's and Joey's! Oh and telling me if you guys want me to do a slight flash back scene, technically it'll be them watching the home movies but I can make it more exclusive. Oh and you will find out why Joey doesn't remember his body's 'growth' later on. As he did enough screaming he must have been aware of some of it so yupper I'll get to that. Love you guys! I'll post again soon!


	11. Chapter 11

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: T  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: Yamichan (Yea I'm happy I got one too! Yea and I really recommend reading I wonder. It's amazing, but only if you're a fan of Darkshipping!)  
Warings: Hintings of Mpreg. Spoilers: none

Summary: Joey can't sleep so he doesn't some snoopying and what do you think he finds out. Mokuba has had enough with Seto and decides to do something about it.

A/n: Thanks for the reviews.

Mandapandabug: I know Dray is so mean. He's jealous I highly doubted he'd openly accept a new parent, so it's a necessary brattiness that might go away. Anyway the dead thing was a joke, it was to amuse me and poke fun at the show.

Star: Of course Joey will believe what Seto tells him. Joey is a kid at heart and believes in magic and things like that. At least its not Joey trying to convince Seto.

Kawaiilover300: Glad you adjusted to the name I just couldn't find one I thought really fit him and I wanted it to mean something so I came up with one on my own although Drago is very amercanish. Thanks for continuing to read even with the dislike of the name.

Anyway thanks again I love to read reviews. So onto the fic.

Waking up early the next morning, which was normally unusual for the blonde, but seemed perfectly fine for him right then, Joey placed a few more blankets over Seto before scurrying away to take a shower. When he came back he was surprised that Seto was still asleep, glancing at the clock that said 4:46 he wasn't quite surprised anymore. He assumed the rest of the house was sleeping so he found himself becoming bored. The emotion almost hit him at full strength when he noticed the scattered papers, the home-made video-disks, he questioned only briefly if he should wait for Seto before grabbing all the papers and disks and going to sit in front of the computer in another corner of the room. He did have a right to know he assured himself, and he might as well get started, as he knew it would be a long story.

He shifted threw the papers a moment to see which looked the most interesting to start with. He stopped on one in particular. Printed in a landscape direction with printing on the left and right sides of the page, he picked this one because at the top it said Birth Certificate in computer text and the blanks were filled in with slightly messy writing.

He pulled that one to the top of the stack of papers and began to read, Name: Kaiba Dragochi. The name struck him as something familiar to him, not from his experiences the day before but something deeper then that. He read on. Until he got to the part that made him drop everything he was holding once again the papers went flying.

Mother: Joey Wheeler (Complication in birth; died).

But he wasn't dead; it was ridiculous, he was right there sitting in front of Seto's computer reading a birth certificate, a birth certificate of a son. A son he didn't know he had, a son, who was five-years old and had his hair and Seto's eyes, a son, who he had given birth to and still couldn't remember.

He died!

He must have!

How else was any of this explainable? But he had never met a dead person…someone who had come back to life before. He was sure it wasn't common after all he had never met anyone who had died. Then again he had never asked. Maybe there were all kinds of people walking around that used to be dead, that would explain why there were so many people walking around. Still if there were so many people walking around that used to be dead then people wouldn't make such a big deal about dieing. So now he was sure there weren't dead people coming back to life, so then he hadn't met anyone who was dead and then came alive. But he had met dead people before! At least the yami spirits seemed to believe they were dead and had been trapped in strangely shaped items. Items that possessed magic that if he had not seen for he would not believe in, and he almost still doubted that the magic existed.

Magic?

Was that how he came back? Joey frowned none of the characters in the Harry Potter books seemed to possess magic that brought them back to life. And the entire book was about magic, oh wait there was that one evil crazy guy, so possibly there was magic that could bring someone back. But it must be evil magic! Did that make Joey evil then? He didn't feel evil. Poke…nope he didn't feel evil. But, good magic couldn't have done something like this.

Stop! Joey shook his head. He had to get off the Harry Potter train of thought. While that little blonde was rather hot in the movies he had to remember that Shadow Magic was much different. And while dark it didn't mean that was evil. After all Yugi could be really evil and he was supposed to be the hikari. And sure it seemed like Yugi was nice and sweet, but…well there were other times, and…shudders. Joey didn't want to think about it.

So he was alive because of shadow magic. He wasn't evil because of it, at least as far a he could tell. And he had a slight crush on a character in a book, he shrugged, nothing he could do about that, but remember that he had a cute little, well big, but still cute lover laying no more ten feet away from him.

Standing up Joey moved around the table to collect the papers he had dropped when he had found out that he had died giving birth, five years ago, briefly Joey wondered if he smelt because of it. After he grabbed the papers he sat back down in the chair and began to read threw them. He soon realized that they were documented proof that Joey, although indeed a boy, had been the first male to carry a baby to full term. Joey smiled proudly at that fact, "And Dad said I wouldn't amount to 'othin'."

Seto stretched back like a cat groaning because he realized he fell asleep on the couch, something he had yet to do since high school, as it tended to make his back uncomfortable so usually he made the effort to make it to his bed before crashing. Pulling his arms back under the blankets he began to remember what happened last night, the dried stuff on his stomach was probably the biggest, erm most disgusting clue.

He sat up in his disgust and his curiosity as to where the blonde had gotten to. He was not in his arms like he had been the night before. He looked around the room to find that Joey was staring at his computer with immense interest. Because, Joey had claimed several times in the passed that he was allergic to the device, it made Seto even more curious. Careful to put his boxers back on he padded over the cold floor with a blanket still draped over his shoulders to see what the other was doing.

His eyes widened the minute he realized that Joey was watching a movie, _that_ movie. He couldn't believe it; Joey was snooping where he didn't belong. Seto shook his head, of course he belonged there, and he was the one on camera after all. Seto was the one filming. Seto had became very fond of the digital device shortly before his proposal to the blonde. He suddenly felt like he should have everything he could about Joey document for his access whenever he wanted to enjoy the blonde without the blonde presents.

Moving silently closer to the blonde he placed a reassuring if not shaky hand on the other's shoulder, Joey didn't even flinch, he was either to immerse into the film or had already sensed his presents. Joey did have a sixth sense; after all, it came with his dog-like qualities.

flashback

_Joey yawned again stretching out his arms going above him, a movement causing his long sleeved bed shirt to rid up passed his swollen stomach. He then turned his attention to more important things. He didn't notice that he was being spied on in anyway. Bending down slowly as it was a bit of an effort he opened his bottom most draw and began to search for something to wear._

_"Isn't he the most adorable thing when he bends over?" Seto narrators for his camera, alerting the blonde to his presences both camera and Seto earned a nasty look, "He doesn't like to be disturbed doing the adorableness exercise."_

_The blonde stood up erect turning to face the brunette and camera, he couldn't help but give a half smile for the audience before getting annoyed again. "Seto-koi put da camera down. We hafta get ready ta go ta 'ugi's."_

_Seto lowered the camera from in front of his eye but kept it on and pointed to the blonde, "But the camera loves you puppy!"_

_"Well, tell da camera dat he'll just have ta wait in line. I hafta get ready! I already look 'uge so da rest of me hasta make up for dat!" Joey explained poking his finger in the camera's direction with a pair of boxers in the same hand._

_The brunette had to restrain from snickering, "Joey, I can tell the camera that but I just don't think he'll listen. He doesn't seem to have any sense of manners or decency." Seto ignored that weight comment for then. He knew and Joey knew that Joey and no one else minded that he had gained the necessary weight for his condition. _

_"So what you're just gonna sit and let him watch me get undressed?" Joey pouted slightly looking hopefully and Seto._

_Seto nodded, "I'm going to have to. It's one of his favorite things to watch!" _

_The blonde glared and then trying to be smart he stripped off his shirt, "Dere you happy, now he can look at all my 'ugeness! He can't even miss it I take up da whole room!"_

_The brunette looked a bit upset about Joey's comment, all though he was still very pleased to see Joey without a shirt on. He set the camera down on the desk behind him, and walked over to Joey. Gently he took Joey into his arms and kissed his brow. "I'm sorry, I was being an ass."_

_"No you weren't," Joey sighed putting his head on Seto's shoulder. It always amazed him that no matter how bigger he had gotten, so far, he always seemed to fit perfectly in Seto's arms, even when he didn't fit perfectly in his jeans anymore. "I'm just bein' moody."_

_"I don't think you're moody," Seto played happily with his hair, "You're just being regular stubborn Joey and I'm pushing buttons. But don't be mad at me I just want to play." _

_Joey moved his head slightly to kiss Seto's shoulder, "You can play with me anytime, but well not when I'm sleepin' or eatin' as you've learned before."_

_Seto winced slightly in the memory, pressing a kiss into the blonde mop. He softly brought up the other thing he wanted to say, "You're not really upset about, the weight are you?"_

_"No, not really," Joey sighed softly, "I mean I like bein' like dis. Not dat I would want ta be all da time. But its because of our baby, our baby is doing dis to me and I don't care at all! It also gives me da excuse ta eat as much as I want without caring a thing. But it doesn't mean I can't complain about it! I have rights ta complain as much as any pregnant woman would if not more!"_

_Seto snickered; lightly hugging Joey just a bit closer, "But you don't. You're very good about not complain at all."_

_The blonde simply shook his head, "Dats because it's so easy! I don't know what girls complain about! Everything so far has been easy or necessary and didn't bother me. I think dey've just been messing around with us all dis time cause dey could!"_

_The CEO shook his head, "Maybe, but you could just be lucky."_

_"Yea, I am!" Joey pushed up on his toes to kiss the other on the lips, "Do you agree?"_

_"No, but I'm not complain," Seto brushed the fringes of Joey's hair back from his eyes. He reached between them to place a hand over Joey's stomach, "You think, it'll give us a treat tonight and start to move?"_

_"I told ya he moves all da time! He just doesn't kick. So ya can't feel him," Joey replied, looking down to watch Seto caress his swollen stomach. _

_"How do you know it's a he?" Seto asked once again, they had both agreed to wait to find out about the sex of the baby. Joey said he had a feeling and Seto just thought he had snuck the information from one of the doctors. Joey didn't even bother answer. _

_"Well if he wouldn't kick you maybe I'll just have to persuade him then." Seto noted Joey's thrill at having Seto call the baby a he. He dropped to his knees. He put his lips to Joey's stomach a small smirk crossing them. "Dragon? Little dragon, are you sleeping?" Seto smiled some as he felt Joey's fingers slid into his hair caressing his scalp lovingly. "Little dragon, please be listening. Daddy wants to feel you. Can't you just give a little kick for Dad?" Seto looked up at Joey finding that the blonde approved very much of Seto calling himself Dad. It almost seemed to Seto that Joey just might cry, which they'd both blame on the hormones but would both know it had to do with so much more then just hormones. It had to do with being parents, being a family, something neither of them had for very long growing up but were determined to give to their young one. _

_Joey frowned after a few minutes of waiting and silence, "Sorry, he just, he wouldn't. There's nothing wrong though, I promise."_

_Standing Seto placed a soft kiss on the other's forehead, "Its fine I wasn't expecting very much."_

_"Maybe he'll act up at the party," Joey suggested moving back to grabbing things from his drawer. Seto agreed silently pray that it would be so. Seto had only felt the baby twice since he started to move around and it was too hard to believe sometimes that there actually something growing in Joey without that little proof every once and a while._

(End Flashback)

Joey turned his face up to Seto at the end of that part. "There's more, the party I mean," Seto said softly kneeling so that he was more at an eye level with his love.

The blonde quickly turned the screen of in reply, "It's fine. I've been watching for a while now anyway."

"Did it, did it help any?" Seto wondered softly.

The blonde nod, "Yes, it did. I am now fully convinced that all this happened. That I had a child, your child, and that I've been dead for five years."

"You found that out too?" Seto whispered softly.

Nod, "It was one of the first things I did find out this morning," Joey reached down to caress his lover's cheek gently, "I'm sorry I left you."

"It wasn't your fault Joey," Seto reassured tugging Joey into his lap ignoring that suddenly too grown men were sitting on the floor cuddled together when there were perfectly good seats in the room. "I never blamed you. I couldn't. But, I did miss you."

The blonde nodded, "I well…I don't remember bein' dead, but I do miss it. I miss not bein' here for da last five years. I miss not bein' able to be with you, not being here ta raise Dray. And I hate dat I can't even remember a single thing about da whole experience. Yes, I believe it because I've been watchin' videos for four hours but I wish I could remember everything. What it felt like? It looked like it felt amazing and I want ta remember dat!"

"Yes, it did look like that. And perhaps you will remember that, it might just take a while. It took Yami and Bakura some time to recollect all of their memories. I'm not sure they even remember everything, but while they have three thousand years to deal with you only have five and well maybe something will trigger your memories now that you're here." Seto hugged him tighter taking in his sweet scent, "You're here."

Joey wrapped his arms around his neck resting against him, "I love bein' here," he whispered, "I wouldn't go away again."

After a few moments Seto pulled back, "Do you remember the last few weeks?"

"What happened in da last few weeks dat I'm 'uppose ta remember?" Joey frowned trying to think back trying to remember but the last he remember the gang hadn't done anything special although they did go out with Yugi and Yami dinner.

"Well Mokuba, and his things, brought you back a few weeks ago, and you wouldn't stop screaming you sound like you were in so much pain. But you don't remember it?" Seto looked pleading.

"Nope, I just remember waking up to a pair of blue-eyes, he quickly fell off the bed," Joey smirked, he tilted his head at the memory, "It was sort of cute."

Seto nodded his agreement, "Soon you'll be completely powerless to his cuteness, its worse then Yugi sometimes! I know he's getting lessons from the hikaris without me knowing." The two laughed for a brief moment, shifting so that Seto wasn't sitting on his heals, moving around so the blanket rapped around both of them. "So what did you think about Dray before you asked me who his mum was last night?"

"Well I didn't tink it was me!" Joey explained before burying a blush against Seto's chest, "I 'ought dat you'd gotten married or something. I never stopped ta consider his age not complying with my most recent memories."

Seto chuckled, "Silly puppy, I'd never marry anyone but you."

Mokuba found himself lazily moving into the kitchen just shy of noon rubbing at his eyes tiredly, but they brighten immediately when he saw his brother-in-law leaning against the counter eating a sandwich, with his brother and nephew seated near him. "Joey-kun," He bounced over on his toes and gave the other one a hug. Joey promptly hugged him back and then pulled away to get a good look, with a long whistle Mokuba could tell he was stunned by what the last five years had done to him. He wasn't a little kid anymore, and he was no longer the teenager that was moody and would go threw periods of not speaking to anyone in his house if he could help it.

"Hey that's ours!" Mokuba didn't flinch when he was pulled back against Marik. He simply smiled lightly at the pair of blondes.

Seto rolled his eyes at the display, "Must you?"

"Of course," Marik argued, "What's stopping us, not you?"

Mokuba tugged away from the blonde, "Marik please don't fight with my brother. He's right this isn't the place for that, nor the right people to do it in front of."

"Does that mean you'll come to the strip club with us after all?" Malik squealed in delight, Mokuba nodded happily giving his loves whatever they wanted.

Joey gave Seto a sympathetic look, "And just tink, he use ta be so sweet and innocent."

"I blame the loss on you," Seto teased but the sternness in his voice seemed to convince at least one person that he wasn't.

"Don't you have to work today, Kaiba?" Marik finally decided to come back with a slightly less threatening argument.

"It can wait until tomorrow," Seto glanced at Joey no way was he leaving him alone, not that day, tomorrow he thought he might be able to manage but today he needed the constant reminder that Joey was home and alive.

Joey smiled back and then changed the subject, "Don't you tink you owe someone an apology? A thank you?"

The brunette froze looking at Joey curiously, "I thought you said you didn't remember the last few weeks?"

"I don't," Joey rolled his eyes, "But I know you. And I know you were probably not the least bit nice to Mokuba when you found out about me, especially after you saw how much 'pain' I was in."

Seto blushed lightly; he didn't realize he was that predictable even after five years! Swallowing his pride he turned to his brother, "Mokuba, thank you."

The raven-haired young man graced Seto with a now-very-rare-hug. "I'm just glad you're not mad at me anymore Seto. I should have told you before hand." He pulled away from the taller brother and looked at him curious, "Well?"

"Well what?" Seto frowned at his little brother.

"I tink he wants ya ta thank dose two loons," Joey helped, as he always did after he found out how social inept his lover was.

Seto turned a glared at the Egyptians, currently making out against his counter top, "I'm not thanking them!" he growled, "Its not like they did it for any reason other then you told them to. They don't want me to thank them, they don't care if I do or not. And I'm not thanking them for turning you into their fucking partner!" Joey flinched and said nothing he noticed that Dray didn't flinch at all, probably used to Seto using language around him occasionally, or maybe it was because the youngest blonde was staring at him again.

Mokuba turned red with anger, "I'm not their fucking partner. We love each other Seto! I thought you knew that! I thought you trusted me more then that," he glared icily if Mokuba hadn't gone threw a rather annoying teenage period Seto would have been surprised that Mokuba could glare that well.

The brunette shook his head, "How should I know? They're not your first boyfriends. You didn't even tell me you were dating them. You just sort of let me figure it out after a while. If you're so in love with them then why couldn't you even tell me that?"

"It's because I didn't think you'd approve!" Mokuba snapped before he could think about his answer. The blondes making out on the counter stopped to give him a curious look. "I am _not _ashamed of them. Nor the way I feel for them. But everyone else seemed to be. I didn't want you to disapprove Seto! I didn't want to have to pick them over you! But you've apparently already made that decision for me."

Seto froze slightly looking at the anger pouring off his little brother. The young man hesitated and then turned storming out of the door, the blondes following after his retreating form. Seto shook his head, "No, no don't leave me," he choked nearly silently.

Joey stayed where he was a minute but reached Seto's side before he completely broke down. He placed his arms around him carefully, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have…" Seto shook his head leaning in to hide as best he could against the blonde, taking all the comfort that he ever would need.

Dray frowned lightly, he wasn't sure he could ever do that for his father. He knew he made his Dad, happy and when things upset him, he could usually cheer the other up. But this situation seemed too big for the five-year-old; he however wasn't sure that he liked his father taking comfort from other person.

Seto stood in the entrance way to his house watching as his brother and the two blondes moved in and out putting things into a truck that Marik managed to get, somehow. The brunette was numb to it all he wanted to stop it he wanted to step between their path to the door but he couldn't move. Dray sat on the stairs watching silently his heart hurting just a little, Mokuba had been in college since he was two but even though it hadn't been in Domino it had never felt like he was leaving, not like it did today. He tried to pretend everything was going to be alright but he didn't think it was. He could see that his father was losing all of his resolved. Sighing, the youngest Kaiba placed his head on his knees and Mokuba ran past him again.

Joey glared from where he leaned up against the door frame of the front room his arms crossed. He didn't care that Mokuba was leaving it seemed about time he would want to anyway, but he was doing for sour reasons. He didn't know if Seto and Mokuba could work everything out if Mokuba left completely. However, Seto didn't seem to be fighting. Not that he could, he might break down entirely if he moved or breathed wrong.

Finally deciding that is was his job to ask questions he pulled Mokuba aside his expression didn't lighten in front of the youth as it usually did.

"You're not really doing dis," Joey asked harshly.

"I have to Joey!" Mokuba snapped, he seemed a little upset but his anger still was foremost, "He has to understand!"

Joey shock his head, "He's not going ta be able ta understand dis way. You're only hurt him. You're only hurting both of you."

He shivered lightly against Joey's words but he didn't break, "I have to go! I don't know anyway that will ever be easier. But he wouldn't have to get hurt. That's what you're here for."

The blonde looked at him wide-eyed, "that was very selfish of you Mokuba. But, even so, you have to know that I could never, ever take your place to him, I can't make it all better for him. Only you can. You're his brother, but you're also more then that. He raised you, you…raised each other."

"And I appreciate that I really do Joey! But I have to leave sometime!" Mokuba argued.

"You don't have to _leave _like this. He could have easily _left _you behind a countless number of times, but he never did! Now you're not leaving him, you're abandoning him!" Joey snapped back with a growl.

Mokuba flinched at the words but shook it off, "I'm. NOT. Abandoning him!"

The blonde shook his head, he sighed, "I know what abandonment is Mokuba, and you don't have to pretend."

That just infuriated Mokuba even more, he turn and left the room taking the stairs up into his former room to grab the last of his things.

Malik and Marik waiting at the door for him, with mixed emotions, they would do anything Mokuba asked them too, however they weren't sure this was the best thing for him to do.

Joey narrowed his eyes after the young man. He turned from his spot at the door and went to stand by Seto, but he didn't touch him, he knew Seto didn't need that right then. Dray finally stood up when Mokuba ran passed him last object in his hands, he moved steadily closer to his father…his parents before finding himself between the pair and slight in front.

Mokuba handed his things to Marik and nodded to the both before turning back to his brother, he moved over to them before he was standing in front of them. It hurt just a little to see that his brother wouldn't look at him. "Seto? Seto, I'm going to stay with the Ishtar's until my classes start again. They're going to come with me to Kyoto," he pulled out a piece of paper, "You can probably reach me that that number as long as I'm in Domino. I'll call you about where I'm staying after that. Well…G'bye." He took a step forward to hug his brother but debating it he pulled away and waved lightly before leaving the manor.

Joey followed him to the door watching the truck speed away before shutting the door carefully and turning back to his family. Seto was on his knees clutching Dray to him, his life line. Joey frowned; the poor kid did not need to see his Dad like that. Dads were supposed to be invincible at that age. Joey didn't question it any long joining the two, kneeling on the floor he put a hand on Seto's shoulder and with his other hand he gently tugged his head to find a resting place against his own shoulder. Seto wrapped his far arm around Joey's far shoulder in an awkward hug burying his lost expression against Joey's shoulder. Dray looked a bit uncomfortable to be seat between the two at first but he adjusted quickly.

He concentrated on watching how his other parent handle his Dad with such delicately, he almost felt like he could come to terms with the other, but the jealousy from before was a little bit more deep seated then he had thought. Or maybe it was just easier to remain cold to the new man, then to accept him for what he was. Dad needed them right then and so he'd have to just settle on taking care of him first before he thought anymore about his blonde parent.

a/n: I didn't plan for Mokuba to leave in this chapter but it worked out. You thought the angst was over but nope it's just getting started. Muwhahaha.

Anyway I'm not sure if Yami and Yugi or Ryou and Bakura will get to corrupt their own little kids minds. The fics really on Joey and Seto but the other characters are important to. What do you guys think should I bring more chibis in or not, or suggest that the adoption agencies don't trust either pair. Its up to you guys! Reviews are welcome thanks.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: T  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: none  
Warings: Hintings of Mpreg.

Spoilers: none

Summary: Joey and Dray spend the day together. It turns out to better then excepted for all three of the boys.

A/n: Thanks for the reviews. I'm so sorry about the long wait. I can't really explain it. I was just burnt out on writing. I know exactly what I'm doing with this fic though. I'm going to try really hard to get in a regular posting with it. But don't worry, the angst might appear to be gone, but it's not!

Audrey: Thanks, it's one of my favorite that I've written. Honestly, I wish I had a beta to comb threw it because I know it would be ten times better with one. I hope this new chapter inspires a bunch more!

Star: Of course Joey believed Seto. Joey is just accepting like that. I think Joey is about to believe anything after all the things Duel Monsters has dragged him threw and back. I don't know about the brothers though. They both are very stubborn, so we'll have to see what happens!

kawaiilover300: I liked the last chapter as well. Even though Joey has been 'alive' for a while it was the first chapter that Seto's really gotten used to and accepted the idea. Still he can't bring himself to apologize so he's still being typically. Yes there is still going to be lots of drama, but hopefully it will all be solved. I know for sure that Bakura and Ryou will be getting, and not stealing a kid. However adoption do take a long time, and in my head it will probably be around the end of the fic that you see this child. Yami and Yugi I'm not so sure about, as they aren't as thrilled about the idea it might not happen in this fic, but it might be decided that they will adopt, it just wouldn't be shown because that would be a completely different story. But your encouragement helped lots. It's was really hard for me to decide if that would work with the plot, and it's always had to bring in Original Characters.

Lefthandedfreak: Chibis are cute, and I'm going to bring them in, but very gently, as they can become a headache and cause a lot of problems.

Mandapandabug: Dray's a little kid. No matter how much Seto wants to treat him like an adult and no matter how intelligent he is, he will always have the emotions of a child. This is the main reason he acts in the ways he does. But, I'm glad you want him to warm up to Joey. He will, he really has mixed feelings for the blonde, and that can be seen when he 'wakes' Joey up earlier, and in this chapter. He really can't tell if he should like him or hate him. I hope you'll give me my insides back if I finish the fic speedily or at least in less then a year.

Angel-belle: Thanks, pretty good stories are hard to find!

Shishounekkyou: Mokuba's at that age where he thinks he's more mature then he really is. But luckily, Joey is sort of still at that age. Although, in my mind since Joey was married and ready to have a baby Joey was probably a bit more mature in his reasoning then Mokuba is. Mokuba also, did spend a lot of his teenage years helping raise his nephew. So in a way, Mokuba and Seto aren't that different so hopefully they can see that soon.

* * *

His blue eyes filled with mixed emotions at the word he heard, angry was the top one, frustration followed right after and lastly jealousy haunted him. Seto was going to work without him. He was leaving him with that other parent, the one currently adjusting the other's trench coat. The young blonde wanted to scream and throw a fit. So he did. "But, Dad I always go with you." He fought for his natural rights, "I want to go."

The brunette's attention snapped from the fondling of his husband to his young pouting son, "Dray, I have things to catch up on. You'll just be sitting around, bored."

Dray shook his head and Seto shook his head again, "I'm going with you. See I'm dressed. I'm dressed I want to go."

"You're going to stay with Joey," Seto said sternly. He had never seen Dray act so bratty it was a little unnerving but he figured it had to do something with the recent changes. He wished he could easy Dray into it a little better but Dray didn't have that option it would be good for both of the blondes to spend some time together.

"I don't want to stay with Joey!" Dray yelled back, thinking by yelling he could get his way. "He's stupid. He doesn't even know what I like to do."

"Then you should show him," Seto kept his voice in forced control, he moved over to his son kneeling next to him. "Joey isn't stupid. He'll take good care of you. Can't you just behave for him today? I'll be home for dinner."

Dray was swayed slightly because his father was being so reasonable and he didn't want the other mad at him. But he really just wanted to go with Seto. "Please, Dad I want to go with you. Please, I'll be good. I wouldn't say a word, and I wouldn't talk to Uncle Noah on the computer. I'm dressed. Please, I want to go. Please, let me go. I want to go."

Seto shook his head sadly pulling Dray into a small hug, "You'll be going to school soon anyway so you and I will both have to learn to be apart during the day. Please be good for Joey while I'm gone." Dray tugged away from him and turned away scowling he pouted and ignored Seto as he finished getting ready.

It didn't take him long to get ready, he tried to coax Dray into saying good-bye to him but the other refused to. Joey smiled weakly at him, "Don't worry about us Seto, we'll take care of each other." The blonde leaned in and pressed his lips to the others. "I'll see you when you get home."

The brunette nodded, "Make sure he eats. If you have any real problems then call me or call Ryou. Don't do anything to strain yourself I don't want to lose you again." He lingered for another sweet kiss closing his eyes he missed the morning kisses and the night ones and the ones in between; he missed kissing.

Joey felt a little awkward that Seto had to tell him how to baby-sit his own kid, but he returned the kiss with three of his own. Joey led him out of out of the house.

Dray finally moved when no one was watching him. Running to the closest front facing window, he pressed his forehead to the glass and looked out. He watched the driveway. His blonde parent was waving to his Dad, as the driver, pulled the car out of the garage. Dray stared longingly he was supposed to be in that car. Sure he had been baby sat by the gang but it didn't feel the same way as this did. He had been with the rest of the group as long as he could remember so it didn't hurt when Seto left him with them. But this hurt. How could his Dad do something like this to him? Everything was wrong. He wondered if it would ever be right again.

He didn't sense the other blonde enter the room. He only tensed up when he heard the other sigh, "How cute." Dray didn't move hoping that maybe the other would just go away and leave him alone. "What do ya wanna do t'day?"

Dray turned to look at him with a furious expression, "I want to go with Dad!" He snapped and fled out of the room down the hall slamming his door behind him.

Joey flinched violent. He glanced to the bedroom door. He wasn't sure what he should do. He wanted to go talk to the younger boy but he didn't want to push him. He just wanted his son to like him but it looked as though that wasn't going to be very easy. He thought about calling Seto, but he didn't want the other having to worry or turn around, and he didn't want to get Dray into trouble. Sighing, Joey set up camp outside the door of Dray's room not moving to go in, but not straying except to ask someone to make them both lunch.

* * *

The blonde glanced up from his newspaper. He was catching up a little bit on what was going on with the world. When Dray opened the door and peeked out. "Hey there," He hesitantly spoke up in a whisper.

Dray glared but it was half heartedly, "What are you doing?" Joey held up the newspaper and pushed the platter of sandwiches and chocolate milk over. Dray sneered down on them a moment but he was hungry and pretty curious. So shutting his door behind him he sat down. Taking a sandwich and a glass of the brownish liquid, he settled beside the other. "I can read."

"Oh you can, you're so little though?" Joey complimented while he inquired.

"Only Dad can call me little," Dray huffed and took the paper he slow began to read although the newspaper had some words he didn't know yet for the most part he read the article.

Joey watched fondly listening to his son read the kid was far smarter then he was when he was a child that was for sure. "That's really good most kids can't read at your age." He smiled sadly at the kid's blank stare. "Hey don't act like this."

"I don't like you," Dray said flatly with almost no emotion in his voice. Joey flinched slightly but was thrilled to get some answers from the young child, "Why are you here?"

The older blond sighed. He really wanted Dray to like him. He hoped that winning him over would be easier, but he was determined to do so. "I'm here because I want to be here. I want to get to know you better and I want to spent time with Seto. I am here because I want to know who you are. I know you're my son, but most of the time the word son doesn't mean anything at all. I want you to stop calling my Joey; when you feel comfortable calling me something else."

Dray understood this answer, he appreciated the honesty in a way that only a child could, however it made him angry. He wanted so badly to hate everything about Joey, because Joey was the only one he could logically (for a child) blame for the way everything was messing up. Joey was nice. It was hard to hate someone nice. If Dray didn't know they were complete enemies he thought that they could probably be really good friends. Just like both of his fathers however his anger dangerous and explosive, "I'll stop calling you, Joey," He cried. Leaving his position on the floor, Dray stabbed his index finger towards Joey. "You big...BABY!"

That was the worst thing anyone could ever be called. Dray knew this, because when he was called a baby he hated it. It made Dray so upset sometimes his eyes would blur up in tears, because he knew he wasn't a baby at all. So when of course that's what he had to call Joey.

Just like that the bedroom door was once again the only thing Joey had to look at. Dray fumed and stomped around the room, but he didn't hit things and he did break stuff, because he knew his Daddy wouldn't like that. He kept stomping and he screamed a little bit to until he ran out of stream and slumped to the floor. He pressed his cheek to the carpet and glanced under the little crack between the door and the floor. He was disappointed. Joey was gone.

Standing back up, Dray made sure his breath was caught before he crept over to the door. He opened it a few inches and peered outside, he looked up one end of the hall, and down the other. Joey really was gone and not just hiding against the wall. Dray didn't know why that disappointed him so. He had won the stand off after all. Joey and he were no longer battling against their own wills by seeing who could withstand the longest. He should feel triumphant for pulling one over on him. He had beat Joey, and if he could be him at this he knew he could win his Dad back almost as quickly.

There was one little thing troubling Dray as he crept out of the bedroom and down the hall. He wondered if he had really hurt Joey. The older male wasn't all that bad and the little boy was feeling a little guilty. His guilt vanished however when he reached the landing of the stairs.

He let out a shriek as he was tackled from the left side, swung into the air and thrown over Joey's right shoulder. "Ah no, no Joey," Dray squealed balling his hands into little fist he began to pound them against Joey's back. He didn't think he was making a dent however because Joey skipped down the stairs and into the garage. The next thing he knew, Joey was pulling out two bikes, a big one and a little one.

"Let's go to the park. Is that alright with you Dray?" Joey set him down in the driveway and looked at him pleadingly.

"I don't want to go to the park." Dray said softly. He eyed the bikes and then looked back at Joey. Dray, had a funny feeling right in the pit of his stomach, it felt like a knot that was untying. He felt longing. He really did want to go to the park. It wasn't something his father did with him very much, mostly because it was over crowded and people sometimes would say mean things to him. At least, that why Dray thought he didn't like to go to the park. "Dad doesn't like parks."

"I know. Seto isn't really the outdoors men, it really isn't his thing. But, I thought if we went to the park, we could rent a paddle boat and paddle out into the middle of the lake, and feed the ducks. If you want, we could get some ice cream and eat it under the tall oak tree near the playground afterwards." Joey offered.

Dray couldn't see that Joey was really trying hard to win Dray's approval. All he could think about was that Joey was asking him to do things that Dray had always really wanted to do. He had never been on the paddle boats before, but he had always liked the look of the lake and he thought it would be fun to go into the middle of it. Dray also really liked ice cream, and he liked playgrounds too because sometimes they had swings and he was really pretty good at swinging, even if he hadn't got the concept of pumping his legs yet to go higher. "I like ice cream." Dray whispered softly. He glanced at Joey without suspension. He was absolutely sure the man wasn't making any of these fun things up. If Joey did all these fun things with his Daddy, he really could see why he liked him so much.

"Then let's go." Joey jumped happily. He quickly straddled the taller bike. He placed one foot on the ground and the other one on the top peddle. Dray could tell Joey was extra excited and the little boy was very excited as well there was just one little problem. Dray frowned at the little bike. He felt let down by the bike. It was the one thing stopping him from having a really great day. "What's da matter?"

"I can't ride a bike." Dray spoke softly. He wasn't ashamed really. He didn't know, until then, that he was supposed to know how to ride a bike. He just felt silly admitting the fact.

"Is dat all," Joey grinned, tossing his bike aside with a loud clatter he ran into the garage coming back five minutes later with two extra sets of wheels and some tools. It didn't take Joey very long before the two-wheeler became a four-wheeler and he was placing a helmet on Dray's head. "See here, with four wheels the bike can't tip and you wouldn't fall over. All you have to do is peddle and steer."

Dray looked at Joey skeptically, but they were off. Dray's bike wasn't as fast as Joey's especially, with the extra wheels, but it only took them fifteen minutes of 'extreme speed' as Joey called it for Dray to get there.

* * *

"And then there were, they had, they had five ducklets, Dad! Five of them! They were neat. They ate all the popcorn we threw at them even if we threw it on their backs." Dray jumped up and down on his bed, explain, to what Seto thought, sounded like a very exhausting day. Seto was going threw his son's draws looking for the little boy's favorite pajamas. Dray continued, "Then, after dat we 'ad some ice cream, Joey, 'e even got me tree scoops! On da way to da playground, der were some 'uys and day were dueling. I really 'anted to watch so Joey 'et me. He explained most of da rules to me. I didn't think grown-ups played dat game. Afta' we finished our ice cream we went to da playground and he taught me how to swing on the swings all by myself. Then he swung with me for a whole hour until you called and wanted to know where the hell we were."

"What did you say?" Seto looked up from the drawers, his eyebrows raised to his hair line. He was trying very had not to snicker and even harder not to smile foolishly, at the way Dray had purposefully picked up Joey's way of speaking. He understood that for a child acting like another person, showed that they looked up to and liked that person. It was something he didn't find as cute when Dray acted like Bakura.

"Dad you yelled really loud into Joey's cell phone," Dray scowled, he was just trying to tell an accurate story about the day, that he pointedly claimed to not have that much fun on. He couldn't admit that he liked the day because he wasn't supposed to like Joey. Nothing however could wipe away his cheerful grin however.

Seto shut the top draw a bit too loudly and walked across the room to his son's hamper, "Remember what I told you Dray, about how Adults can do and say certain things that children aren't allowed to do."

"Like drinking rum, smoking cigars, and looking naked pictures of girls?" Dray asked.

"Those things and saying words you shouldn't. Damn it where are you Pajamas!" Seto scowled slamming down the lid of the clothes hamper.

Dray wrinkled his brow. He still didn't really understand that rule. It didn't really seem like a fair rule, that adults could get away with doing bad things. Luckily, Joey walked in and stopped him from saying anything. "Joey!" He cried, bouncing off his bed and into the blonde's arms.

Joey caught him, which was pretty neat since Dray didn't think anyone but his Dad would catch him if he jumped at them like that. "Seto you shouldn't say swear so loudly." Joey scowled wrapping his arms snuggling around Dray, and adjusting the little boy's weight.

The brunette threw an angry look at the blond, before it vanished quickly. "I'm sorry, Joey." He began to smile. It was sort of nice that even though Joey had died, and he had promised that he would take better care of the time he spent with Joey, that Seto could actually still get annoyed with him. He feared that it might get boring if it was always happy and lovey dovey. "I just can't find Dray's pajamas."

"Still, it's not nice for a father to talk like that to his son." Joey replied, softly. He pulled Dray up onto his shoulders and moved the boy out of his room. "Besides, it's too early for bed."

Seto opened his mouth to protest, but Joey was Dray's father as well and Seto felt like Joey should have a decision in the matter as well. Joey could deal with a cranky Dray in the morning. The CEO followed his family down the hall into his and Joey's bedroom. Joey tossed the little giggling boy on the bed and dug a shirt from his dresser draw. It was one of Joey's old shirts, one that Seto couldn't bare part with after Joey died. It was worn and old and it smelt like Joey. Seto watch his husband strip Dray of his day clothes putting the old t-shirt around Dray's head. Dray wiggled into it, it was over sized and hung over him in all of the wrong places, but he clung to it and sniffed at it's collar.

He joined the two blondes when Joey curled up in the king sized bed with Dray. Seto put his pillow against the headboard as sat back against it. He watched carefully as Dray squeezed in next to them, fitting his head on Joey's pillow. The little boy's head was so close to Joey's that Seto was afraid both would go cross-eyed. The three sat silently for a long five minutes.

Joey being on his side, propped his head up on one hand and used his other hand to tickle his fingers over Dray's face, the older blonde looked as though he was retaking in the fact that he had a son. Seto wondered how hard it must be for Joey. It was hard for him remembering all the times he had wanted Joey to be there, but at least he could remember them. Joey didn't. He had nothing and he had now. Seto knew Joey was going to do the best he could with now it was just the way Joey did things. "Did you know Seto helped save the world?" Well, he could be wrong.

"Dad saved the world?" Dray's eyes widened and he spared only one glance at his father before looking back at Joey, "How?"

"Dray had you ever heard of Battle City..." Seto groaned loudly, and rolled out of the bed, he had enough with this bed time story.

Seto wasn't surprised to see Joey slipping into their living room twenty minutes later, in his own pajamas smiling that adorable little smile he always had when he thought he had done something good. Seto pushed over when Joey joined him on the ottoman. Their arms wrapped around each other and they both stretched out until they were snuggled comfortably together. "It's going to take a while, but I think he's going to like me." Joey murmured against the side of Seto's throat.

"Joey, he does like you. He was thrilled with you. When you two came home this afternoon I had never seen him smile so big." Seto felt a little bit proud of Joey's skills at being a parent.

"He smiles the best and the most around you, Seto. Even when he's angry with you or upset he's still smiling. We had a good day today, mostly, but he isn't ready to accept me. Even though he has gained something in all of this, to him, it's going to feel like he lost something for a long time. It's going to keep feeling that way until the thing he feels like he lost is filled. Hopefully, what he lost can be filled by me. That is what I'm planning on. Until then, to him it's going to feel like he and I are competing for your attention." Seto always felt a bit at awe with Joey ability to read people. Even if Joey hadn't graduated with a psychology major, Seto knew Joey would still be able to understand all of this. He may not have been able to explain it to Seto before, but now he could. It was one of the reasons why Seto needed Joey. He needed Joey to be there for him to explain people to him.

"So...I should keep force you two to spend time alone together like I did today?" Seto asked, it seemed logical, but Joey's shaking head told him otherwise.

Joey placed gentle kisses on Seto's throat, they were long and idle put in to place pauses in Joey's speech. It was one of the ways Seto knew that Joey used to make Seto feel less foolish when it came to these sorts of things. Joey was rewarding Seto for asking instead of making an ass out of himself. "That works sometimes. I think, however –_pause-_ it should be established –_pause-_ what days Dray will be staying –_pause-_ here with me. Also, it's important –_extra long pause for thing to remember most-_ that you surprise Dray with times that you can spend alone with him. It can't be something you normally do with Dray it has to be a treat. Like a date. In a way it's like a reward for him for adjusting so well. Even if he's not adjusting very well, even if yells and cries, you just have to make sure to mention during the date that your there because of the things he did well and not mention at all the things he didn't do well. You can punish and scold him when it's not special or a treat, Understand?"

Seto nodded a long love struck smile curved up on his lips, "I understand...that you've stopped kissing me." Joey frowned softly, "Uh-uh no scolding this is our special date time and you can only reward me for the things I've done right. It's a treat."

That did it, Joey was giggling, and pinning Seto back against the couch. Sex didn't make it to the bed that night, luckily, it didn't make it to Dray's ears either.


	13. Chapter 13

Title: You Can Cope

Author: Blemery

Rating: PG-13?

Pairing(s): S/J

Beta:none

Spoilers: none

Summary: There are two things with this chapter it shows that two weeks has past and what has been happening. It also unfoldssome plot delevopments pretty quickly, not because I want to rush the story, because it's not going to be rushed at all. I simply needed a place to push off from. Major things have already been resolved in this fic but it's still isn't over for proper reasons and not simply because I can't post. This puts to close Joey's coming back, and transitions the next bit of the fic. Good luck!

A/n: Tries to makesuck upby posting two chapters right in a row!

* * *

The tradition had started before Joey's death. It had been reinforced and strength after the event. It was made apparent to some that a single event or simply not taking the time to get together could ruin their tight network of friendship. It had saved the world, so why waste it. They would never be able to pinpoint a date when they first began the tradition, but there they were just like every Friday evening, or teatime, as Ryou liked to call it. Three giggling men sat in their usual seats, in their usual spot, in the same café, teashop, that they had been to for over ten years. They knew their waitress by name, and she could usually tell what they wanted to eat. Some of the other customers, the more creative types, would come in just to listen to them talk and giggle. Their stories and ordeals were dramatic, upsetting, and hilarious. The management was always so surprised by the crowds that came in just to hear the boys speak, the three had no idea.

Last week their conversation was unbelievable. They spoke about dead friends that were alive again. They spoke about him like they were making plans to meet him or to let him join. It surprised everyone that knew the three men by the conversations they heardfrom them every Friday night. Everyone who visited the coffee shop knew that their close friend, Joey (who at one time used to join there Friday tea times) was dead. Yet here they were they didn't even say to one or another, 'Can you believe?' It was just so.

This Friday, the onlookers would be more surprised then ever. It started out normally. The onlookers arrived sometimes earlier, sometimes later and sometimes not at all, but Malik was the first of the three friends to arrive. He wasn't smiling today. He didn't have red marks all over his neck, his face wasn't painted with make-up, and his eyes were darkened with tired circles underneath them. He ordered a coffee, black.

Ryou and Yugi weren't as on clockwork as Malik, sometimes Ryou would arrive first or with Malik, sometimes Yugi would come in with him giggling and speaking in a high pitched way. Other times, Yugi would come before Ryou with good news, or no news, or tears in his eyes.

Either way, Ryou arrived first this day. He didn't seem to look at Malik's appearance as striking. This bothered the on lookers because he didn't ask what was wrong with Malik and so they never knew. They did, however, realize that this must not be the first day Malik looked like that, this week.

Then lastly, Yugi arrived looking strung out and a little frustrated, but he dropped his problems when he saw Malik. To the on lookers delight he squealed. "Malik, you look terrible what happened?"

Malik didn't make a comment about his flawless looks, all of the time, nor did he slap Yugi for it. He frowned deeply and waited for the waitress to put Yugi's usual first drink in front of him a strawberry margarita. "It's Mokuba!" On lookers turned in their chairs to hear this. Mokuba was the new boy that Malik was seeing. They couldn't really tell if he was cheating on Marik or not. Sometimes it sounded like he was and others it sounded like Marik was in on it as well. "He sort of moved in you know."

"Yup, Joey told me about that. He said that Mokuba and Seto really went at it." Yugi chirped he was glad that the bartender put an extra shot in his beverage they always knew just how to treat the boys.

Ryou nodded softly but didn't reply he drank real British tea. "Well, Mokuba's really hurting over it. I mean if I knew how much Seto meant to Mokuba then I wouldn't have pushed Mokuba so much to leave Seto." Malik explained, not drinking his black coffee one bit. The audience knew from experience that when the boys spoke about Seto and Mokuba that they were talking about the Kaibas, the infamous princes of Domino. All of the audience leaned forward. "I really feel bad for Mokuba. He pretty much spends all of his time feeling, I don't know, guilty. He keeps saying that; 'It's not like I abandoned him!' He says it over and over. I'm not sure what he wants me to say. Marik's not like this at all. He's really simply you know, sex and enslaving people it's pretty simple." He got grunts of approval from his friends. "He doesn't even seem to be affected by Mokuba like I am. He just keeps walking by Mokuba and telling him to make sure he keeps his shit clean. I know Marik's insane, but all of Mokuba's things are clean!"

Yugi nodded, "Yami's not really good at emotional things either. It's really hard for him to apologize or ask me what's wrong if I'm upset. I think the situation with Mokuba is just freaking him out so he doesn't know what else to do."

"I'm not good with emotional stuff either, Yugi! I don't know how to handle this any better. What if I mess up? What if Mokuba decides to leave." Malik looked distraught and worried for once and it concerned his friends greatly.

"Malik," Ryou reached over and put his hand on Malik cheek. Ryou had Bakura and he knew that skin contact, gentle skin contact helped relax the crazy ones. It was always nice to feel someone close by. He turned Malik's face to his, and the on lookers turned to look at Ryou's as well. "Mokuba really needs you to be there for him. Seto is very important in his life. Your sister was important in your life in many of the same ways that Seto is important to Mokuba. They left on very bad terms and he will need to know that he didn't make the wrong decision, even though he went about it the wrong way."

"Don't tell him he went about it the wrong way though." Yugi chirped in sipping on his pink on the rocks drink. "You have to be serious when you're talking to him. You can cuddle with him and stuff, but no sex ok. Just explain to him simply that you are going to be there for him."

Malik turned his gaze from Ryou to Yugi looking back and forth between them. "That's it. Just hold him and say, 'I'm here.'"

The two nodded in agreement. "That's what I told Bakura, after he felt like he lost everything. Every time he felt that way I just told him that I was there and it made him feel better even though he never said it. Well maybe not at first, but after he stopped using my body as a tool."

Yugi raised a brow at Ryou. He turned back to Malik, "It's good to hear that. It's like I love you, or I need you; simple but really important. He's going back to school right?"

"Yes." Malik nodded softly. "I'm going with him. They said they'd let me in!"

"Oh god, help them," Ryou snickered and Yugi giggled as did Malik. "You need to make sure that Mokuba has spoken to Seto, face to face, at least twice before he leaves. Even if it's yelling and screaming, Mokuba can't leave for school until he does. Their relationship would never heal if they don't because they're not living together anymore."

"Yup, you should visit Seto and voice your concern about Mokuba. Tell him how worried you are about him and you feel like you should step in where it's none of your business because you care about Mokuba's feelings," Yugi added and Malik looked very skeptical until Ryou agreed. "Seto doesn't believe that you care about Mokuba and he'll probably never believe anything Marik does but at least you can win his acceptance."

"So I have to play nice, nice with that crazy loon!" Malik cried looking strained. It wasn't a hard decision however, "So, alright, I'll visit him. Only because Mokuba's feelings are important to me though, not because I like Seto."

"Who likes Seto," Ryou agreed half heartedly.

"I do." The fourth person surprised the entire crowd of now speechless on lookers and employees. No one went up to and spoke to the three hikaris, it was unthinkable. Well it had happened before but not in a conversation like this. Usually when Bakura got tired of waiting for tea time to be over or Tea spotted them from outside. Those days' people were sadly disappointed. This day was so good now it was going to be disappointing too.

"Joey!" Yugi cried, jumping out of his seat to hug his long lost friend. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"Well, it is Friday, Yugi. I asked Seto. He said he still thought you three met on Fridays. Seto took Dray out, since they haven't spent very much time together after you know...me coming back and all," Joey explained rather nervously. Unlike the other boys he did notice that people were watching. The stares went into the back ground when the waitress came over with an Irish coffee. She was so proud of herself when she remembered that even though she was slightly worried about seeing a ghost.

"Wow, neat!" Joey wagged his non-existent tail. "So were you talking about Mokuba and Seto? Doses two are driving me crazy. I know Seto's trying to brush it aside because he's happy to see me, but dat's his baby brother. Still he wouldn't listen to me tell him that he was wrong not to dank your guys. Thank you, Malik by the way."

Malik smiled brightly, "Its ok, Joey. Even though I was pretty much used to you not being around I still sort of kind of missed you."

"I really missed you," Yugi added so Joey didn't get let down by Malik's lack of compassion, "Ryou did too didn't you Ryou."

"Of course, I did. Even Bakura missed you. He told me that a few times actually, and it takes a lot for him to actually say things like that." Ryou explained smiling brightly to Joey. "I feel guilty saying this, but thanks. Because of you I'm going to be a Dad pretty soon!"

Joey blinked his eyes owlishly at Ryou. He looked around and then put a hand on Ryou's belly. The three hikaris giggled insanely. "Ryou and Bakura are adopting a baby."

"That's thanks to Yugi. He couldn't bear to lose another friend." Malik cooed teasingly.

"Yup, but Bakura admitted that he wanted to be a father when he became so attached to Dray. I don't think that would have happened if you had been alive," Ryou explained waving off the death with a brush of a hand.

"Well, I did that just to make you happy, Ryou," Joey joked. He was used to the idea of him being dead. This was his third week of being aware that he was alive. It was still awkward a lot of the time. Not so much as with Seto and Dray because they saw him everyday but for people who didn't see him every day it was weird because he had to fill in the gaps of their lives from guesses and stories. "What about you and Yami, Yug'."

"We're going to wait. I mean with the baby and everything," Yugi explained half sadly. "He's not really as excited about it as Bakura is. He wants one, just not yet. We sent our paper work in, we just told them to put ours in the back and give the people who are really desperate a baby."

"Oh," Joey blinked that wasn't really what he had expected. He wanted Yugi to tell them that they were happy and they had sex ten minutes ago. "Yugi, don't be disappointed about it. It takes planning and care to have a child, sometimes it take a night of drinking and a one night stand, but other times it takes years. You don't want to take this drinking you need to have a plan. I mean gee do you guys even have jobs. All I ever see you do is hang out and play with each other."

The on lookers looked at each other curiously, none of them knew if the boys had jobs. They obviously had money, but jobs. "I run the game shop!" Yugi huffed. "Well, I make Yami man the store most days, but I'm in charge!"

"Both Bakura and I work." Ryou frowned at his friends. "Bakura is good at working. He's hard at it. He can do something that isn't thievery. Bakura works at the knives shop in the mall."

"Oh God, help them," Malik darted a smack in the head. "I don't work. Marik doesn't either. All our money comes from the museum and shit. We don't really need money see, so why work. Mokuba thinks I should get a job though so I might work with Ryou. Ryou works for Seto but not in Kaiba Corp."

"My work is top secret, Malik you can't help." Ryou snapped.

"Designing new cards for that lame game that tried to take the place of duel monsters is not top secret work!" Malik shrieked, "And if you don't let me, I'll just work for Duke and my monsters will be better than yours!"

"As long as none of your monsters or Ryou's end up like our Yamis." Yugi stated firmly.

Joey looked at all of them strangely, but he smiled brightly, these were his friends. They had strange jobs but he supposed they weren't very important since they never spoke about them. What was important was that he was there with them like he hadn't been for five years. "Dray called me Dad today. Then he said he had the hiccups."

"Aww he's so cute Joey." Ryou smiled fondly. "He still hates you."

"He still says he hates me. I think he really believes that he hates me. That's the bad thing. He has fun with me I can tell. But he's stopped associating the fun things with me. Anything we do together is things that are keeping him away from Seto. I even taught him how to ride a bike. He loved it. All he wanted to do was show Seto that he could ride his bike. It took Seto two days to finally get outside to watch him. Seto hasn't always been like that has he?" Joey worried slightly. He knew that Dray and Seto were close but it seemed like their relationship was a little be flawed.

"When he gets busy sometimes, Seto has to run a company. He would take Dray to work with him every single day...he even fired me once pretending to be Seto. So they did spend most their time together but..."

"They do love each other. There is no one Seto loved more. It was so hard for him after you died. He wanted to completely regret Dray, but he just couldn't. There was no way for him to blame Dray for what happened. He's felt really guilty about trying to. He's always making up for it, but I don't think he's ever really forgiven himself for it. So even when he loves him, he never feels like he's doing it enough. It's like he's always failing..."

"Dray's different though. He's stuck on Seto. Seto is his fucking sexy god hero man! He always walks around with admiration for his Dad. It's so cute. That kid is going to be one looker later on. He's always trying to impress Seto, and show off to him. Seto's always really impressed and he tells everyone so. But he doesn't think it's fair to treat him special for it and he doesn't treat him like a child either. So basically he praises him like he praises us, not at all, and he treats him like an adult so sometimes Seto forget that he's just a little boy..."

"Dats typical Seto," Joey sighed to himself. "I guess there isn't thing wrongwith what he did. Now, Dray doesn't go to work with Seto as much. Seto's so busy since he is working he can't see Dray. So everything about their old relationship was destroyed, and this new one just isn't going to cut it. They need each other more than this."

"Joey what are you doing...what are you planning," Yugi smiled mischievously and leaned in closer the two other boy's leaned closer as did the entire café.

"I'm leaving home, boys." The three gasped and Joey brought his head to theirs and whispered his soon to be long drawn out plan.

* * *

It was dead like silence when the little bell over the café rang twenty minutes later. Every on looker was silent and the final plans were draw out with room for error. A white haired patron slithered in and slid up behind Ryou. He wrapped his body around the smaller man and snuggled close to him. The three other boys leaned back up right in their chairs as Ryou coddled the silly yami. "Bakura what is..."

"RYOU I AM SO FUCKING HUNGRY! DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? IT IS NOT FUCKING TEATIME NO MATTER WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE. IF YOU DON'T FUCKING COME HOME WITH ME RIGHT NOW AND SHOW ME HOW TO MAKE MICORWAVED NOODLES IN A CUP ONE MORE FUCKING TIME I WILL PISS ALL OVER THIS FUCKING TABLE AND MAYBE A LITTLE ON MALIK BECAUSE HE LIKES THAT!"

"I do not!" Malik cried blushing brightly. He could now feel the stares of the entire café. "Well maybe sometimes."

"Bakura, it isn't that hard. If you can't learn how to use a microwave maybe I should call the adoption agency and tell them to send our baby back." Ryou scolded, pushing the man off of him and paying for his tea. He pulled on his jacket and looked apologetically at the owner of the restaurant. He knew his lover was not kidding when he said he would pee on the table.

Bakura grabbed Ryou by the collar and shock him roughly. "If you fucking dare, so help me. I will plant a child in you and I wouldn't cry if you die."

"Bakura!" Ryou smacked his hand away and stormed out of the café. Bakura followed triumphantly behind him.

"Oh god, help them," Yugi muttered to himself.

"Well, I have to go tell Mokuba that I'm here, when I get there," Malik jumped up and left his money on the table. He practically jogged out of the shop, "Bakura is that offer still..."

Joey shook his head as the door shut cutting off the rest of the sentence. "I think I'm going to join you guys every Friday." Yugi smiled brightly and threw back the rest of his drink. "Umm, Yug'...do you...do you play that card game that Ryou makes?"

"Fuck yes I do!" Yugi jumped to his feet and took Joey's hand, "Come on, I'll help you make a deck at my shop."

"Yug' please don't swear, it reminds me of when you're drunk," Joey politely paid for both of them as he was dragged out of the shop. Yugi giggled insanely, "Oh god, help me."

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

Title: You Can Cope

Author: Blemery

Rating: PG-13?

Pairing(s): S/J

Beta: none

Spoilers: none

Summary: Another Mpregfic (Sort of) sorry I really wouldn't have if I didn't get inspired and I almost decide that I would just put different characters in and make it a HP fic but I thought about that and decided this is much better.

Malik was taking Joey's advice, and taking his own hope that Mokuba would be happier, when he went to visit Seto alone. It seemed to be extremely difficult because the lady at the front desk and the security men wouldn't allow him to visit.

The blonde was thinking about making a run for it when Bakura and Yami walked by. It was a strange sight even now to see the two getting along as well as they did. In a crowd, the spirits still fought and bickered, but on their own they tended to get to business and do what they had to.

"Bakura!" Malik called. He waved when both spirits turned to him. He ignored Akira, the desk assistant and skipped over. "What are you doing together?"

"We're becoming legal. Noah's setting up a background for us. That way I can get a baby," Bakura beamed with pride.

"Our hikaris are working," Yami explained further. The three stepped into the elevator. "Are you here for Marik?"

"Mokuba," he frowned. He let his gaze fall to the floor out of everyone he knew, these two could make him feel humbled, naked, and scared. They had power over him.

"Ah," Bakura pat his shoulder. "We'll talk to Joey, you visit Seto."

Malik smiled appreciatively. He marched out of the elevator when it stopped, wanting to save face in front of the spirits.

This changed when he arrived in front of Seto's office. The young man knew he couldn't fall back to his old ways he needed to prove himself to Seto. He needed for Mokuba to be okay. A deep breath and he entered; only to be drenched in water.

He gasped looking to the desk to find two blond's giggling immensely. "Ah, I'm all wet!" he growled.

Dray stopped laughing his eyes narrowed. He chucked a tennis ball at Malik, "Get out of here whore!" Dray snapped.

"What?" Malik was shocked.

"Get! Out. Of. Here!" He yelled.

Joey frowned, "Dray, Malik is here for a reason; to talk to Seto?" He asked the last part to Malik.

"I don't want Dad to see him. He will be angry and sad," Dray interrupted Malik's reply.

Malik shifted in the doorway, "Joey...Dray, it is important for Mokuba and for me that I talk to Kaiba."

"Mokuba isn't your concern. I will call security," the little boy threatened.

Joey was about to intervene but he didn't need to. Seto had stepped up behind Malik with Bakura and Yami in tow. "Dray why don't you and Joey go play your tricks on the daycare ladies," Seto suggested.

Even though Seto left no room to be argued with Dray tried his best. "No! I am not here to play with Joey! I want to play with you."

"I am working," Seto reminded. He physically, but gently moved Malik to the side so he could step fully inside his office. He changed his mind as he spoke again, "Joey why don't you take Dray home for the day?"

"DAD!" Dray screamed, "I am not going home with Joey! He is mean! I hate him!"

"Dray..."

"Seto don't scold him," Joey stood dropping a kiss on his husband's lips. "Anyway, I'm going to take Bakura and Yami into the computer. We're going to visit Noah. He is going to make _us _alive."

"I know," Seto said, looking a little bit uneasy he added, "In the computer?"

Joey smiled, "No, not like that. Dray, do you want to come?"

"No," Dray said just to be disagreeable. He however wanted to go so he slipped from the chair and left the room.

That left only Malik remaining. He shivered as Seto sat behind his desk and logged onto his computer. "There's a towel in the closet."

Malik jolted moving with crisp almost robotic like moves he retrieved the over-fluffed, over-sized towel. He wrapped it around his body sitting down in front of the desk.

"I don't expect you to like me," Malik started speaking as softly as he could. He was still nervous. Seto was a powerful man. It was easy to feel small in the man's presences.

He took a deep breath letting it out between his teeth. "I want Mokuba to be happy."

Seto glanced up from his paper work for the first time. "He's not happy with you?"

"He's not as happy as he could be if he still had you." Malik admitted. "He is listless. He wouldn't talk about it. He wouldn't let me comfort him. It's not bothering Marik so much because he thinks that if he ignores it that it will go away. I know if we ignore it that Mokuba will go away. I don't want him to go away."

"Understandable." He pressed his own experiences and feelings for his brother onto Malik. It allowed him to be more sympathetic to the other if he thought that they could be in the same situation. He didn't want to lose his brother so he knew he needed to be more sympathetic to his lovers. "You want me to approve?"

"No. I want you to accept Mokuba for who he is. Accept that he is with us. Approval would be ideal, but I understand if it isn't plausible. He is the best thing that has ever happen to me, to us. You are the best thing that has happened to him. Please don't let me lose him." Malik spoke openly for once and sounded vaguely human. The blond did understand a thing or two about the real world even if he didn't always show it.

Seto was nearly swayed. Anyone who came to talk to him about his brother like that deserved to be accepted. There was just one thing that he really needed to hear. "You haven't told me that you deserve him," he prompted, waiting to see if he got the answer he wanted.

"I wouldn't be here if I didn't! Someone who doesn't deserve a man like that would never cling this hard if he was face with losing him. They would give up and let go. He deserves me as well. I would die for him." Malik confessed. He knew that if showed little confidence in himself and he didn't believe that he deserved Mokuba that he probably didn't deserve him. It was those who believe that they were worthy that fought the hardest, even when they had nothing to fight for or with.

Seto stood from his chair and moved to the front of his desk. "Then you're intentions are honorable. Love him, marry him, keep him," Seto gave his blessing. He paused as his assistant walked in. She handed Seto his freshly printed papers. Seto thanked her and waited for her to leave. Then he continued to speak, "These are for you, Mokuba, and Marik. They state the birth of Marik, and give him a little bit of background. He like Yami, Bakura, and Joey are as real as any naturally lived and born human beings."

"Seto," Malik gaped knowing the significance of the papers. It meant that Marik could find a job, get married, and possible be easier to arrest for a crime. "He may not appreciate it as much as I or Mokuba will. Will you speak to Mokuba?"

"Of course, I will call him for dinner." Seto affirmed. Malik beamed. The blond had come and got more than he had come for. "Malik, thank you, and Marik for bringing Joey back for me."

"Mokuba is the one to thank, but you are welcome," Malik nearly sang as he skipped out of the door feeling somewhat accomplished.

"Daad!" Dray bound into the room just after Malik left. "Joey's taking me fishing!!!"

"Fishing?" Seto looked surprised. Although most little boys liked fishing Dray had never mentioned wanting to do it.

"Yeah, Yami said, Yami said that his people fished, a lot! Bakura said that he once worked as a fisherman. I want to catch a fish to show them!" Dray danced excitedly in place. Then he ran forward and kissed Seto's cheek, "I love you, Big Dragon."

"I love you too," Seto reassured him.

Dray grinned, "Can I take the flea-bag fishing then?"

"Dray, I wish you wouldn't call Joey..."

"Unlce Noah said it was one of your more colorful nicknames for him," Dray countered.

"Still I don't..."

"Dray?" Joey stepped into the office. "Did he say yes?"

"Kinda," Dray said. He perched on Seto's knee in order to squeeze him tightly, "Puh-lease, Please!"

Seto scowled at Joey's tactic, but he could not deny his son what he wanted. At least the two were bonding, "Okay, but why don't you and Joey drive up to the lake house. The ponds here are disgusting. I'll meet you there later tonight. We'll eat your catch.."

"You mean for the weekend?" Joey raised a brow.

"Yes, it will be good for the three of us to get away, as a family," Seto agreed.

"Okay," Joey agreed. "Dray?"

Dray faltered for a moment. He was certain that they were not a family, but he didn't want to be left behind. Even staying at Bakura's didn't measure up to a weekend with his father. "Sure."

"Alright Joey don't forget to buy a rod," Seto handed him the keys to a pick-up.

"Aye Captain Kaiba," Joey saluted.

"Aye!" Dray parroted. He marched out of the office after Joey.

A parade decided to come into Seto's office that day because no sooner were Joey and Dray gone two spirits entered. Bakura hopped onto his desk and Yami came around to lean over his shoulder.

"So," Yami spoke first.

"So, what?" Seto asked.

Bakura pouted and replied, "Where is my baby?"

"You need to set up a good family to adopt. A supportive partnership that isn't likely to break. I know you had binding ceremonies but you must be seen as life partners by the state. You cane make a deal of it or simply get it approved by the justice. She hates gays though."

"Then how can we be legal partners?" Yami questioned.

"Joey and I went to Odiba before we could be approved for the experiment." Seto remembered that trip and he briefly wondered if Joey did. "I'll send him word that you're going to be visiting. He might cop a feel so why don't you take Marik?"

"Uh, Seto didn't you just bless Malik or something?" Yami asked.

"Or something."

"Baka Pharaoh he wants his brother to be legally bound to the twerps." Bakura interrupted. "He will marry all three?"

"Yes, but the state will only recognize the first marriage. It will be enough to adopt, I doubt they would want to however," Seto explained.

Yami understood the ways of the state since that used to be him. "Good, come on Bakura lets get some vacation time."

"Tch, I'll be fired if I take another vacation day, Yami, besides who do you have to look over the shop?" Bakura pointed out. "Let's talk to the little ones and see what we can work out."

"Okay. Bye Seto," Yami waved.

"See you next week," Seto encouraged their exit.

"Next week?" The spirits asked.

"We're taking a weekend-trip, fishing," Seto explained.

The two smiled at each other. Then Yami gasped, "But Seto it's Tuesday!"

"I know, despite what you think my work has been caught up on and now I hope to spend time with what belongs to me." Seto said. The spirits teased Seto for being a romancer. "Leave!"

The two left. Loud laughter echoed long after they were gone.

Joey lay on the bank of the lake. He had his fishing rod lying just as flat beside him. It was starting to get dark and the air was cooling much more than he was used to for this time of year.

The blond sat up, his gaze fell on Dray. Unlike him, Dray had caught many fish throughout the day. He only, had been the reason Joey had quit.

Now, however, he was shivering in his summer clothes. He was staring at his line. Joey stood taking off his jacket he slipped it over the boy's shoulders.

"Joey?" Dray glanced up tugging the jacket unconsciously around him even if it was way too big.

The older ruffled the younger boy's hair, "Come on Dray. Let's head home. We still have to clean those suckers. I'll show you how to fry them up."

The younger had caught seven fish, but several hours ago, so he was ready for the change of pace.

Deboning, and gutting seven fish turned out to be really messy and hard. Dray was tired of it after the first one. Joey noticed this and let Dray off the hook. Dray ran to the bathroom to clean the fish smell from his hands.

"Joey, can I sit by you and read?" Dray said when he returned.

The book did not hold his attention. He was more interested in Joey as he cleaned and fried the fish. "Joey?"

"Dray?" Joey smiled. He brushed his unruly hair back from his brow with his sleeve.

Dray sighed. He reached out to help move Joey's hair from his eyes. "When did you love Dad first?"

"When? Oh I don't know really. He was pretty cold to me at first always teasing me. He was always insulting me. I think I started to love him in High School. When I realized that up until that point Seto believed any attention was good. Insulting and bragging was one way to gain attention, my attention, even if it was negative attention. So after that I tried to give him the right attention. The kind Mokuba gave him, whether he insulted or ignored me. It shocked his system and he finally realized that he loved me."

"I'm not like that. I don't love you. There is nothing for me to realize," Dray had meant the question innocently. He however felt defensive it was like Joey had tricked his Dad into loving him.

Joey frowned turning back to his work. Dray didn't notice right away but Joey was hurt by his words. Joey was crying. Dray left the room.

Seto arrived just as the final light of the sun disappeared ending dusk and making it night. Dray was in the front room. He wasn't _waiting_; he was keeping away from Joey.

"Dad, Joey tricked you," Dray said as he climbed up his father.

The tall man held Dray to him. He supported the familiar weight comfortably. "What? He's not at the lake house?"

Dray rolled his eyes. It was a habit he had learned from Mokuba. "No Dad, he tricked you into falling in love with him. Let's leave him here."

"Dray," Seto sighed, his shoulders slumped. "I am in love with him. He didn't trick me. He helped me see it."

Dray pouted, "fine. Don't believe me."

Seto carried Dray to the Kitchen table. Joey was just setting the last plate for dinner. "Joey."

"Seto!" Joey kissed him politely. Dray took the chance to kick Joey. He landed the kick to his balls.

Joey's eyes became wide with pain. He chocked and managed to excuse himself. Seto concerned, set Dray on the floor and followed Joey into their room. "Joey?"

Joey was curled up in the bed, crying. "Joey, are you okay?" Seto sat beside him. He rubbed Joey's shoulder sympathetically.

"He told me, he doesn't love me."

"What? When?" Seto said.

"I'm trying hard with him, Seto. He's so stubborn though. I think he's happy with me and then he says that he'll never love me." Joey sighed. He rolled onto his stomach. The warm pressure of the bed helped the sting. "It shouldn't but it hurts so much. All those years I lost with both of you and yet NOW it feels like I'm losing time."

"Joey, I love you." Seto assured. He praised himself. He had said it, when before he wouldn't have.

Joey smiled a little. He just couldn't help but be happy. "I know you do. That might not be enough for this to work."

From the hall Dray almost cheered. He knew he still wanted Joey to leave. Even if Joey was fun, even if he liked him and even if it made him sad to thank about it too hard. He was stopped before his cheer when he heard the softest saddest voice he had ever heard from his father.

"_Joey, please-don't leave, me." _

A choke in his voice and Dray knew that he was in or near tears. Dray fell from his cheer. It scared him to hear his father like that. It hurt him to hear his father hurt. Dray rushed from the hall and into the Kitchen.

He didn't have to wait long both reappeared shortly like nothing had happened. They sat to start dinner. Seto asked about the fishing. Dray had the longest fish tale to tell. All three enjoyed the casual discussion that had them in giggles on the couch after dinner.

"What a big day," Seto agreed checking his watch. It was very late but he anticipated a fight to bed. "Tomorrow let's go hiking."

"Yeah and have a picnic!" Dray agreed. He launched onto his Dad and hugged his stomach.

"That sounds good," Joey agreed. He was surprised because Seto wasn't the outdoors type. However, even he had risked it to save his little brother.

Seto stood taking Dray with him, "Then let's get to bed."

"Okay," Dray agreed actually hurrying in order to get ready for bed.

Joey watched from Dray's lake house room as Seto tucked him in.

"Thanks for the weekend Dad," Dray settled down and snuggled his pillow.

"It's fun for me too. Goodnight little dragon," he tucked his son in and kissed his forehead.

"Night big dragon. Good night puppy," Dray chirped.

Joey baulked, but then he smiled. "Good night, Dray."

Seto smiled all the way back to their room. "See he's coming around." Seto tugged Joey to the bed.

"I know but he'll need more than this you know the plan Seto," Joey reminded. He did this as he shed his and Seto's clothes.

"Yes, now let the big dragon play with his puppy," Seto pinned Joey to the bed.

An hour later boxer clad and breathless Seto cuddled Joey. "See that's the kind of rod that I know what to do with."

Seto laughed lightly, "I missed you."

The blond frowned, "Me too. I wish I had been here."

"Me too," Seto replied softly. "I dug some old videos out. I think it will be fun for Dragochi to see them and for you to see how pregnant you were."

The blond agreed that it was a good idea. He then rolled over facing away from Seto. He was promptly spooned.

"Joey?"

Joey snorted and woke up. It was dark but he could make out the child in front of him.

"Can I sleep with you? That bed is too weird."

Joey interrupted that as code for, I'm scared and Seto's out cold. Joey moved back and lifted the blankets. The young blond didn't want to be in the middle; instead he crawled in next to Joey. He let his tiny hand curiously touch the arm wrapped around Joey. Joey understood, but said nothing.

"Joey?" Dray whispered.

"What is it?" Joey whispered right back.

Dray shifted nervously before speaking. "If you want to you can put your arm around me."

Joey decoded that to be, I'm too proud to say that I'm scared. Joey complied. He draped a tired arm around his son.

Dray snuggled close. He was so close that they breathed the same air. Joey yawned. "Joey?"

"Hmmm..."

"I'm sorry," Dray hushed.

Joey was surprised but too sleepy to show it. He hugged Dray back and replied. "It's okay. Thank you."

Content Dray finally closed his eyes and fell asleep.

"Joey," Seto whispered in his ear that time.

"He loves me." Joey softly answered.

Seto kissed his head in a gesture of comfort. They too were soon asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: You Can Cope

Author: Blemery

Rating: PG-13?

Pairing(s): S/J

Beta: none

Spoilers: none

* * *

It was Dray's second day of school. After returning from the lake house there had only been a week until Dray's first day. Despite becoming more fond and used to Joey every day, Dray was still stubbornly jealous. The itty bitty steps Joey was using to win him over for good were still really itty bitty. Sometimes Dray still had a tendency to try and out do Joey.

This day however his naughty way would finally peek. It would bring more consequences than he realized. Even though Joey, like before his death, assisted Kaiba at his office he was also took on the role of main care taker for Dray. With his help at home and at work, Seto spent more time away from the office. However, it was still considerably less time than Dray was used to being with his father. This lost time was the main fuel that drove Dray to his latest trick.

"You're his father?" The class's teacher was certainly surprised. The other day Kaiba-san had come to pick Dray up. The unofficial prince of domino was hard to mistake and Joey was not him.

"Yup," Joey agreed. Seto said that he shouldn't have a problem picking up Dray. So Joey remained unworried.

Dray, who was standing beside his teacher, was quick to speak, "He's _not_ my parent."

"What!" Joey flailed. He knew that he had already been questioned and now Dray was arguing the point. "He's kidding."

The teacher looked unimpressed. "Kidding he might be, but you'll understand why I'm being cautious." She picked up the class phone and called the office.

Joey flushed. All of the other mothers were looking at him like he was some kind of pervert. "Dray." He whined.

Dray stuck his tongue out. He didn't realize how severe this could turn out. Dray only wanted to give Joey a hard time.

"Sit down, Mr. 'Kaiba'," the teacher gestured to one of the kid sized chairs.

Joey felt humiliated as one by one each child was taken home except for his. The humility was only half replaced by relief when Seto arrived.

"What seems to be the problem?" Seto asked.

The teacher pointed to Dray, "Class ends at 4 p.m. Kaiba-san, please try to pick him up on time."

"I sent his father to pick him up." He gestured to Joey. "I made that clear before registration. I also confirmed his pick-up with the desk assistant when she called me earlier."

"Sir, Dray didn't know who he was," the teacher explained.

"And I thank you for your concern but I've listed several people as eligible to pick up Dray from school. I also confirmed it when I was called. I don't see why I had to be dragged from work."

Dray made a face. He knew he was in trouble. Seto would have picked him up if not for work.

"A boy cannot have two fathers," the teacher insisted. She didn't want to be called wrong and opted to keep arguing.

Seto narrowed his eyes glaring darkly at the teacher. "Seto," Joey broke his glare by stepping in the way. "Can't we just go home?"

Seto straightened up and agreed. He didn't speak to Dray but the young son followed him regardless. The CEO didn't speak until they reached his car. The one Joey had brought had been taken home already. Once they were safely buckled in and on the road Seto began. "Dray would you like to explain to me what happened?"

"I was just kidding," Dray mumbled from the backseat.

"Well it wasn't funny! Dray that was embarrassing. Do you understand that Joey could have been arrested?" Seto lectured as calmly as he could manage. He did not want to be distracted from his driving.

"Good!" Dray snapped defensively. He knew it was the wrong thing to say but he didn't want to be lecture. He just wanted to say something to shut Seto up. "As long as he's not around me."

"Dray!" Seto shouted. "You need to apologize to Joey."

"NO!" He shrieked. He felt so embarrassed being commanded like this. Seto pulled over slamming his breaks on. He turned around to lay down the line.

"Seto," Joey whispered. He was doing a good job of keeping his cool. He was still humiliated but on top of that he was upset and angry. "Let's get home first." Joey felt more concerned about having Seto act out in public than anything else at this point. Seto glared at Joey because he was on a roll and he didn't want to be interrupted. Still he heeded Joey's word and continued driving.

Dray was uncomfortable on the rest of the way home and soon he had worked himself into tears. The soft sobs were the only sound heard all the way into the house. Seto led the three into the living room. He shut the door to the room bringing the family privacy.

Joey sat on the couch next to Dray. Seto paced in front of them. "What am I going to do with you Dray? This isn't cute. You have never treated anyone like you have been treating Joey. It's been five months! Isn't he nice to you? Don't you like him?"

Dray glared. He didn't want to admit even to himself that he did like Joey. It was too much of a game for him when he was jealous of the attention Joey received from his Dad.

"I can't take this anymore Dray. I love both of you. I wanted us to be a family but this isn't working out," Seto sighed. He dropped down into the recliner. He put his head in his hands.

Dray baulked, "Dad, you're not going to give me away, are you?" After all, Dray was the one in trouble, something had to give. It must be him.

Seto lifted his head; curiosity had the better of him. "No Dray. I can't give you away."

"Yes you can. You just have to put me up for adoption," Dray logically explained.

"Dray it doesn't work like that. I don't want to give you away. What do you think I should do?" Dray frowned as he tried to think of something.

"Maybe I should leave," Joey spoke up. He looked just as troubled as Dray. "I don't want to come between either of you. Maybe-maybe this would have worked if I had not died."

"Joey you don't have to leave," Seto sounded unsure. Dray didn't speak but he hardly looked okay with the idea.

"I need to visit my Dad anyway," Joey explained. "I'll stay with him for a bit. I'll keep in touch."

"Joey I don't want you to leave," Seto whined pathetically.

"Relax Seto, it's not like I'm dieing," Joey laughed awkwardly at the look he received. He stood carefully edging to the door. "I'm going to pack. See ya later kid." Before anything else could be said Joey had hurried out of the room.

Seto looked crushed. He had just been given Joey back and now he was losing him all over again. It was painful and it was all he could do to keep his cries silent.

"Daddy?" Dray was beside him. He wrapped his arms around Seto's head. He felt let down. After everything he had put Joey threw he was sure that Joey was never leaving. Yet here he was again being the only comfort to his father. It left him no doubt in his mind that he had won. He loved Seto more than Joey did.

* * *

"Bakura! Bakura?" Ryou's voice rang threw out the apartment. "BAKURA!" He cheered when he found Bakura, Yami, Yugi, Marik and Malik in his living room. He was rather surprised that Bakura was being social enough to host a slasher special.

Yugi screamed like a child when Ryou cam in. "Yes little one fear the name Bakura!" Bakura crackled.

"No, I think Ryou found the candy schnapps again." Yugi cuddled closer to Yami.

"Not quite. Well not at all. I can't drink again for a while. I'm pregnant." Ryou surprised.

"What?" the group asked at the same time.

Ryou sighed turning the movie off and the lights on. "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby."

"But..." Yugi looked surprised. "You're supposed to be adopting."

"My baby?" Bakura said just as surprised.

"Our baby. I wanted one of our own first. So I asked Seto and he said he'd help me surprise you." Ryou explained.

"Is that why Yami didn't need a semen sample to adopt?" Bakura still seemed to be in disbelief."

"Yes," Ryou giggled.

Bakura whooped loudly. He jumped to his feet and spun Ryou around, "My own flesh and blood! Ryou thank you, thank you!"

"Took him 5,000 years," Malik giggled from Marik's lap. Mokuba had returned to school without them.

"Ryou!" Yugi screamed. "You can't seriously be putting yourself at risk! It's too dangerous I wouldn't let you!"

Ryou tugged away from Bakura's lips, "It's not your decision. I'm already pregnant!"

"Well I'm not sticking around to watch you die!" Yugi stormed out of the apartment.

Yami faltered a moment. "I'm sorry Ryou. Congradulations Bakura." He managed to say before dashing after Yugi.

"Ryou?" Bakura asked he also didn't want to lose Ryou.

"Bakura that will not be a problem," Ryou reassured. "I know the risks but I want to do this for us. We will be safe."

"Okay," Bakura trusted Ryou's judgment. He turned his head to the Egyptians. "The movie is over."

"Oh that means we can go home and fuck," Marik eagerly led Malik out of the apartment.

* * *

Seto closed the drawer of his desk after pulling out a paper clip. Last night was Joey's last night with him and even Dray seemed to be hurting by it when he was dropped off at school.

"Are you sure this will work Joey?" Seto asked when Joey entered his office.

"Of course, absence makes the heard fonder. It might be a few weeks but I know he'll admit that he misses me and wanted me back for good. I'm apart of his life now. He loves me. He's just too stubborn to give in." Joey explained. "Anyway I do want to see my dad."

"Why?" Seto couldn't understand why Joey wanted to visit such a hateful man. Joey simply frowned. "I'm just going to miss you." Seto sighed.

"I'll miss you too, Seto. I love you. I'm going to call every day," Joey reassured.

"I know. I love you Joey." Seto admitted. Joey kissed him gently.

"Seto!" Yugi stormed in. The fireball hikari was sheathing in anger. "I want you to terminate Ryou's pregnancy."

"Yugi that's out of my hands," Seto explained.

"Joey, are you leaving?" Yugi asked noticing the bags.

"For a little while," Joey answered. "Ryou's pregnant?"

"Ryou, who?" Yugi growled angrily. "And it's good you're ready to go. I'm going with you." Yugi pointed to his back pack. "I wouldn't watch Ryou commit suicide."

"What about Yami?" Joey left the comments about Ryou for later.

"We're not speaking right now. Please let me go Joey?" Yugi begged.

"Sure but I could be back soon," Joey explained

Yugi nodded. "I know. I just need a break. I need to spend time with you Joey."

"That's fine Yugi," Joey said. He kissed Seto again. "Bye Seto."

"Bye Joey, bye Yugi." Seto bid them farewell feeling a little bit better that Yugi was going with Joey.

* * *

"And then Yugi said I'm not staying around to watch you die." Malik explained. He and Marik hadn't gone two weeks without missing Mokuba. The two had taken a trip to the young man's apartment only they weren't planning on leaving without Mokuba.

"Marik giggled. "I thought he'd gut Ryou right then and there."

Mokuba looked up from his assignment that he was doing on his desktop. "Marik that's not funny."

"Yeah Marik," Malik teased. "Yugi's with Joey now."

"Oh yeah, Seto told me about that." Mokuba returned his focus to the computer. "He also told me that he gave you papers to make Marik legal."

Malik blushed sheepishly curling up into his lover's bed, "I-"

"What's that mean legal?" Marik snapped just finding out about it.

"It's a gift from Seto for bringing Joey back and loving Mokuba." Malik explained.

Mokuba shut down his computer. He was tired of working and for the moment he just wanted to love his boyfriends. "It means your not some whacked personality split of Maliks."

"You mean I'm real? I'm going to KILL Joey!" Marik screamed.

Mokuba kissed him drawing him onto the bed, "And stop loving me?"

"I don't love you. I just like the sex." Marik insisted.

"I love you," Malik assured. Mokuba turned his kissing ministrations on Malik.

Marik twitched from where he sat. He knew exactly what was happening and he didn't like being teased. "Mokie," he whined, "Malik?"

"What's wrong?" Malik sympathized. It was easy to sympathize when Mokuba was attached to his throat.

"I love you," Marik pouted. He liked having someone attached to his throat. He was lucky because moments later he did.

* * *

Dray lay in his bed. He was completely miserable. He not only missed Joey, but that day at school some of the other students had roughed him up. He felt too embarrassed to talk about it with Seto even though the black eye hadn't escaped Seto's attention.

Seto hadn't been able to say a single thing to make him feel better. The young blond was startled when his father entered the room with a phone in his hand. "Dray, Joe's on the phone would you like to say hello?" Seto offered him the phone.

It had been nearly three weeks since Joey had left. He called everyday so Dray understood that Joey was still apart of their life, but Dray had previously refused to talk to him. Seto sighed when Dray didn't answer right away. The brunette said no more and turned back to the hall.

"Dad, wait!" Dray called. Seto raised a brow in surprise. "I want to talk to Joey."

Seto smiled happily. He handed him the phone, "Dad a little privacy, please?" ray waited patiently for Seto to leave.

"Hi Dray," Joey did not sound surprised to talk to him, even though Seto had looked surprised.

"Joey some kids hit me," Dray explained. "Dad doesn't understand."

"You have yellow hair?" Joey had been roughed up for the same reason as a boy. After a short time he had learned to fight back, it kept the bullies away. It also made him a bully and a jerk until high school.

"Yes! And because I'm too smart," Dray knew Joey would understand him. He ideally wanted Joey there to comfort him in person but being on the phone and understanding him was a relief for Dray. "What do I do?"

"Well you have to defend yourself." Joey explained. He knew even Seto would agree since he defended his brother from bullies during there time at the orphanage.

"How d I do that?" Dray sat up in order to talk to Joey better.

"Well if I was there I could teach you how to hit." Joey explained.

"But you're not. Dad isn't going to teach me to hit." Dray didn't want to get bullied anymore because he knew it upset his Dad, plus it hurt.

"Well if you promise me that you'll never hit anyone unless they hit you first I can help you still," Joey cautioned.

"I promise!" Dray jumped.

"Good, now I'm going to hang-up and when I do you call Tristan. He will teach you how to defend yourself. Tristan helped me keep people from beating me up when I was younger. They didn't like my yellow hair or my accent." Joey instructed.

Dray nodded even though Joey couldn't see him, "Yeah, I can't help it if I have yellow hair or that I'm smart."

"But you can help defend yourself. I like your yellow hair. I also like that I can talk to you like a big kid. I'm so glad that you are smart."

"Thanks Joey! I'm happy that you called." Dray smiled lightly, "I'm going to call Tristan-sama now. Bye!"

"Bye kid."

* * *

Tristan placed two more cans of soda on the counter in front of Dray. It had been four months since Joey and Yugi had left. Dray and Seto received a call from Joey everyday, but Dray's time with Seto never returned to what it was before Joey's return. In fact, tonight Dray was at Bakura's for the weekend. Seto was away on business.

Dray stacked the cans on top of the ones already in his hands. "The boys don't pick on you anymore?"

"No. I got in a little bit of trouble at school for hitting, but Dad said its okay to protect myself," Dray answered as he attempted to balance the cans of coke.

"That's good. Joey's always been better at that than I have." Tristan pulled out a couple cans of beers from the fridge.

Dray nodded and his face drooped sadly. "Joey's gone."

"Yeah it's too bad, I miss him." Tristan let the door to the refrigerator close by itself and exited to the living room.

Dray let his eyes trail after Tristan before following the action on foot. If Dray was honest he would admit to missing Joey too.

Ryou was four months pregnant and he was already showing. Bakura was sympathetic to Ryou's condition and denied any alcohol offered to him. He didn't seem to mind, however, he let his eager hands roam over Ryou's belly. Dray stared wide0eyed at not only the display but the bump on Ryou's belly.

"Bakura stop," Ryou pushed Bakura's hands away. He tugged his shirt down as much as he could. "Sorry Dray'chi."

Dray snapped out of his wide-eyed expression. He handed Ryou and then Bakura their sodas. Ryou smiled thankfully and Dray stared unabashed.

"What are you staring at? It is rude!" Bakura scolded loudly.

Dray shook when he was yelled at, he couldn't help the well of tears that filled his eyes. "Bakura," Ryou reprimand. "Dray its okay. Come here," Dray stepped closer to the pair on the armchair. Ryou drew him even closer until Dray was firmly on his lap. He had his arms curled around the young boy.

"I'm sorry, Ryou-sama," Dray sniffed.

"Oh don't you listen to Bakura. You can look at me all you want. I look different don't I?" Ryou ignored the movie on the screen but he was careful to keep his voice down.

Bakura grumbled. He was only trying to be helpful to his hikari but now he was scolded and not allowed to cuddle. "It's still rude. You said you didn't like it when people stared."

"Dray's just a kid Bakura. He's also my friend. Do you remember when Joey was pregnant? It was hard not to stare for a while." Ryou explained.

"Joey looked like this because of me?" Dray whispered. It was one of the reasons he had been staring.

"Yup and he got even bigger," Ryou explained. "So will I!"

"Oh," Dray wiggled away from Ryou. He silently returned to his seat on the floor. Marik, Malik and Mokuba were wiggling around on the loveseat ignoring both beers and movie. Tristan had returned to his spot on top of Duke on the couch.

Yami was on the floor as well. He was lonely, drunk, and bored. Yugi had yet to return and although he tried to be brave and remain social. He simply could not forget his lover's absence. When Dray sat beside him Yami laid his head in Dray's lap.

"Yami-sama?" Dray asked. He didn't let the surprise of a head in his lap stop him from petting and stroking the head. "Yami did Joey look like Ryou-chan when he was pregnant?"

"No. Joey looked like Joey only bigger and Ryou looks like Ryou," Yami explained logically.

Dray could agree with that logic. According to Yami Joey had got round and big before Dray was born. Dray couldn't ask another question because Yami fell asleep. The movie was semi-entertaining but all of Dray's caretakers were asleep by the end of the movie.

Dray had to wiggle from Yami and turn the television off. He looked horrified by the men in the living room and that combined with his overwhelming loneliness caused Dray to snap. He used Ryou's phone to call Joey.

"Hello?" Joey's sleepy voice answered.

Dray choked. He just couldn't help the tears that ran down his cheeks. "J-Joey?"

"Dray what's wrong? Are you okay? Where is Seto?" Joey sounded worried and it was no wonder with Dray's voice.

"Joey, I-want to go home! I miss you!" Dray cried.

"Dray, slow down. What's happening?" Joey said trying to remain calm.

"Daddy's working. I don't want to stay with Bakura anymore. Can you please come ad get me?"

"Of course I can," Joey promised.

"Because Bakura..."

"Dray, I'm coming to get you. I don't need to know why." Joey said efficiently getting ready to leave as he spoke. "Its going to take me two hours is that okay?"

"Yes," Dray breathed a sigh of relief.

Joey shook Yugi awake. He cupped the mouth of the phone in order to speak to him. "Yugi I'm going to pick up Dray. Do you want to come?"

Yugi nodded as he stretched. He was ready in a flash. They left anything unimportant behind.

"Dray, do you want me to stay on the line for a bit?" Joey sympathized.

"I don't know." Dray sniffed. "Yami's drunk. Marik, Malik and Uncle Mokuba are naked! Ryou's fat and I'm not allowed to look at him! Bakura yelled at me. And Tristan is sleeping on Duke."

"Wow, Dray. It's going to be alright. I'm coming," Joey sympathized. It didn't seemed so awful but Joey knew that with everyone so busy Dray probably felt really lonely and left out. "Why don't you get your things ready to go, or try to lay down for a little bit? I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay, Joey," Dray paused. "Can I talk to you a little longer?"

"You can talk to me all the time," Joey encouraged. "What happened with that fight at school?"

"I almost got in bad trouble because the one boy's nose was bleeding. I only hit one time and Dad said it was okay to protect myself." Dray explained.

"It is good. Just don't go starting any fights." Joey warned.

Dray nodded even though Joey couldn't see it. "Tristan said that you and him were bullies."

"Yes after I learned to defend my yellow hair and accent. I started to pick on other boys like I had been picked on. If it wasn't for Yugi I probably would have ended up in jail. He also helped me get involved with Seto. Joey honestly explained. Even though he didn't like to admit that part of his life he understood that he couldn't deny the facts to his son. Yugi smiled and yawned as he curled up against the passenger seat.

"Really?" Dray liked hearing about his father as a boy and teenager.

Joey began a short story about Seto and his first duel against Yugi. Before it was finished and before Joey was even an hour away Dray fell asleep on the Kitchen counter listening to Joey talk.

Joey smiled as he hung up the phone. He and Yugi politely knocked on the door a little before two hours had passed. After waiting patiently for a few minutes Yugi produced a key to let Joey and him inside.

Joey was quick to get Dray's things and put them in his truck. Yugi steeped into the living room where all of his friends slept. He looked disgusted by the drool spot that Yami left on the carpet when he covered him with a blanket. He glanced sympathetically towards Ryou; although he was still afraid to lose Ryou he wasn't mad at him anymore.

When Joey returned from the truck he leaned over Tristan and carefully hissed. "Tristan." Joey's oldest friend jolted awake so roughly that he fell off the couch onto Yami. This harsh movement woke both Yami and Duke. The dark haired CEO zipped his jeans as soon as he realized that Tristan's hand was gone.

"Oh gross! There is a kid here!" Joey wrinkled his nose.

"Joey?" Tristan rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Have you looked at the love seat?" Duke pointed to the naked trio entwined with each other.

"That doesn't excuse you," Joey didn't even look.

"Yugi?" Yami drunkenly question after Tristan returned to his spot on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"Dray called Joey." Yugi explained. "Joey's taking him home. I'm coming to take you home."

"You're coming home to stay?" Yami stumbled to his feet.

Yugi reached out to help Yami stand. "Yes. I just needed a break. Joey let me get away but I don't want to leave you."

"Oh good!" Yami seemed to be confused still but Yugi knew that it was the alcohol. Yugi groped Yami until he found the keys to Yami's little car. Yami grinned blissfully.

"Bye Joe. See ya Tristan, Duke," Yugi dragged Yami from the apartment.

"Where is Dray?" Tristan asked.

Joey rolled his eyes, "Some babysitter you are. He's in the kitchen."

Tristan followed Joey into the kitchen. He awed appropriately at the little tyke asleep on the counter. "Sorry Joe."

"It 'kay Tris' I know you're not in charge of him."

"That's right. Bakura is," Tristan led Joey out helping him with the doors. "Do you think this means he's over the jealousy."

"Probably, for the most part." Joey agreed he slid into the driver's side of his truck.

"Good then you wouldn't mind it when I tell you that Duke and I donated sperm so your sister could have a baby."

Tristan was very glad that Joey was holding Dray because Joey had never turned that shade of red before. "You what?" he hollered.

Dray's eyes snapped wide open at that. He looked at Tristan first and Joey second. "Joey!" Dray hugged his savior tightly.

Joey's anger dissolved. He hugged his little son back. "Tristan I'm taking Dray home. I'll talk to you more about this later."

"Joey, wait. Serenity asked us to do this. She really wants a baby and she's not in a serious relationship with her. The two of us are still friends with her so we agreed to donate just as long as we have a part in the child's life and don't know which one of us is the father." Tristan explained. "And she's going to wait until she's out of college before she starts. That's still a few months from now. I got stuck with telling you, but really I wanted you to hear it from me."

Joey was protective of his sister but he could tell that this had been planned for a while maybe even longer than he had been alive. "Buckle up kid," Joey encouraged Dray scooted to the passenger seat and safety his belt. "Okay, Tris' but we're still going to talk about this later."

Joey backed out and made their way back to Seto's home. Dray managed to stay sleepily awake the entire way only because when they got home he didn't want to sleep alone. In fact as soon as they pulled up to the house Dray asked, "Can I sleep with you?"

"Sure," Joey didn't blink. He brought their bags inside but left them in the front room. "I don't know you but I'm exhausted."

Dray nodded his eyes half closed. Joey lifted him from the ground and brought him upstairs into his and Seto's bedroom. Still half asleep Joey changed Dray from day clothes to a large shirt of Seto's.

Dray waited patiently until Joey was also ready for, and crawled into bed. Dray snuggled in so close that Joey and he shared each others breath. Joey would have minded but he was to in awe of Dray's change in demeanor. It also amazed him how fast he could adjust to this parental role.

Joey closed his eyes ready to finally get some sleep, "Joey?"

Joey opened his eyes, "Something wrong?"

"No, it's just. I'm sorry about telling the teacher that I didn't know you."

"It's okay. I'm not mad about that anymore."

"Good!"

Dray watched Joey close his eyes again as he tried to fall asleep. Dray was tired too but he still wanted to talk to Joey. He was fearful that Joey might not be there if he did fall asleep. "Joey?"

"Dray?" Joey opened his eyes again. He smiled and was not annoyed so Dray continued.

"Thank you for teaching me to ride a bike, fish, and play pranks on Dad's employees."

"Thank you for letting me teach you. Good night."

"Good night."

"Joey?"

"What?" Joey did not snap but he was shorter than before.

"Oh well," Dray rolled his hands up in his shirt. He knew that his Dad would be annoyed by now. "I did have fun on the paddle boats."

Joey raised a brow, "Dray I liked it too. What are you doing?"

"I don't want you to leave. Dad gets too sad. I don't like it when you're gone." Dray explained. "I know you didn't feel good when I said mean things to you."

"I'm not leaving Dray. It did hurt when you said mean things, but I understand that it was hard to share Seto. It was hard for me too. The last I remember it was just me, Seto and Mokuba," Joey ran his fingers in Dray's hair. He felt terrible for making Dray upset like this but he knew it was necessary to have give Dray this time to adjust. Dray needed to understand that Joey wasn't standing in the way of him and Seto. There was no need for Dray to be jealous because Joey wasn't here only for Seto, but for Dray as well.

"Okay Joey. I think I can sleep now, good night puppy."

Joey smiled. "Good night, little dragon."

* * *

A/N: That's not it! One more chapter, but I'm warning everyone that the angst isn't over 


	16. Chapter 16

Title: You Can Cope  
Author: Blemery  
Rating: PG-13?  
Pairing(s): S/J  
Beta: anubiset  
Spoilers: none

* * *

Seto's work weekend finished early when the man he was making a deal with was all too eager to sign. After checking the rest of his work load he knew that he could spare the time to spend the last day of the weekend with his little boy. The only problem was that he couldn't seem to find his little boy.

It was very early in the morning, when he arrived at Ryou's apartment so he let himself in. Ryou and Bakura were still asleep on the arm chair. Seto's brother and his lovers were still naked and asleep on the couch, but Tristan and Duke had left. Seto was not pleased by this display but he decided to drop it. He just wanted Dray home.

After searching the apartment Seto woke Ryou and consequently Bakura. "Seto, Ryou needs to sleep."

"Where's Dray?" Seto ignored Bakura.

Bakura growled. "How should I know? I was sleeping?"

Seto glared. He would have raised his voice but Ryou yawned and wandered to the back of the apartment to the room Dray always stayed in. Ryou ran back into the living room panicked seconds later. "Bakura! Dray is gone!"

"Ryou calm down." Bakura instructed but it was no use.

"Bakura! He's gone! How can I have a baby if I lose a five-year old?" Ryou sobbed.

Bakura ushered Ryou to sit and he tried to console him. "Look at what you did." Bakura scolded Seto when his attempts did nothing.

"ME! You _LOST_ my son!" Seto yelled.

The yelling woke Marik, Malik, and Mokuba. Malik flushed and dragged his clothes on. Mokuba followed his example. "The kid is gone?" Marik asked.

Seto turned his glare on them, "You shouldn't be fooling around in a room that Dray can walk into."

"But the movie was so boring," Marik countered.

"Marik," Mokuba scolded. "Where's Yami? Dray was with him?"

"Oh god someone kidnapped Dray _and_ Yami! Yugi's going to murder me!" Ryou cried.

Seto sighed. He did feel bad for making Ryou so upset especially in his condition. "No, Ryou calm down. I think maybe we should call over at Yami's and see if he knows where Dray is."

Ryou blinked teary eyes up at Seto. "I'm so sorry!" He sobbed running over to hug Seto around his middle.

Seto growled reaching down to pet Ryou. Luckily for him Yami and Yugi entered the apartment. Even though it was earlier and Yugi had been up late the young duelist wanted to apologize to Ryou as soon as possible.

Yami cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "What's going on? Why is Ryou hysterical? Why is Seto here? And why are you three dressed?"

"Dray's gone and it's all my fault." Ryou sobbed loudly.

Yugi giggled. He moved over to Ryou and pulled him away from Seto. He hugged him tightly. "No, no sweetie. He called Joey last night. He missed him. Joey came immediately to pick him up and take him home. Didn't Tristan tell you?"

"Tristan isn't here." Seto answered.

"Oh well Joey didn't want to wake Ryou because of the baby. And he didn't even want to look at those three so he woke Tristan and Duke to tell them that he was taking Dray home." Yugi said. He pulled back from Ryou. "I'm sorry Ryou."

Ryou wiped his eyes. "It's okay Yugi. I know you're scared. I'm kinda scared too. But this is something I have...I want to do."

"I know." Yugi nodded. "And I can't stop you. Especially now. I hope nothing bad happens but if something did I wouldn't want to lose my last chance to be your friend or anything."

Ryou smiled. "Nothings going to happen, I'm glad we're friends again though."

"Aww, touching." Marik rolled his eyes.

Seto patted Yugi's shoulder. "Thanks for the message. I'm heading home. Sorry about earlier Ryou I forgot how emotional pregnant males can be."

Seto didn't rush home but he got home as quickly as he could. After a sweep of the rooms that Joey and Dray might be he finally made it to his and Joey's bedroom. He was quiet when he entered which was good because both of his boys were sound asleep cuddled up in bed together.

Sighing Seto toed his shoes off and changed out of his business suit into pajamas. He didn't want to be anywhere else right now so it only seemed appropriate that he crawl into bed with the boys. He wiggled in putting Dray in between him and Joey. The little boy had his head rested on Joey's chest and his arms around his middle. He was peacefully asleep and it looked to Seto that the two had worked out whatever jealousy had remained.

Staying on his side of the bed Seto rolled onto his back and closed his eyes ready to take a short nap. "Seto?" Joey whispered softly. Having Dray so close and not wanting him to wake Joey had to be very quiet.

"Joey." Seto turned back over on his side facing him. He gave the blonde a small kiss. "I missed you so much. Don't leave again promise me."

"I can't promise that, but no human will ever be able to take me away from you." Joey promised what he could. "Are you okay?"

Seto nodded lightly. "When I went to pick Dray up, he wasn't there. Tristan wasn't either. I was scared that I wouldn't see him again."

Joey grimaced. "That's a terrible feeling. The worse, even if it's a false alarm. I'm sorry I should have called you. Dray said you were away on business so I didn't want to disturb you. I would have called you later today though."

"It's alright. You're safe and he's safe so it doesn't matter." Seto force a little smile. Joey could understand that even though Seto knew it was already he probably felt a little nervous still.

"Daddy?" Dray spoke up blinking his little eyes open. "Daddy!" He squealed and jumping awake and hugging his Dad. Dray was certain that this was proof that life with Joey around was better. Seto was home early and that made him happy.

"Hey Dragon. I heard you called Joey last night. Did something happen at Bakura's?" Seto asked petting and kissing his son's head.

"He yelled at me for looking at Ryou. I was lonely. I missed you, but I knew you were busy. I missed Joey too, and he said I could call him anytime." Dray explained. "Did I do the wrong thing?"

"No, sweetheart you didn't." Seto assured his son. "I was just curious about why you're here and not at Bakura's that's all."

Joey smiled at the two. He knew it would be a long while before he and Dray were as close as Dray and Seto were but it was something he was looking forward to. It wouldn't be long now that Dray accepted him. Soon they would be hard pressed to remember a time without each other.

"What?" Seto asked glancing at Joey's admiring look.

"It's just I can't believe, we're finally a family." Joey said softly. "I still don't remember being pregnant, but I defiantly remember wanting a family with you. And now we have one."

Seto smiled slightly. "And we have you too Joey," Dray beamed. "I think, I always wanted you too, I just didn't know it."

The two older men laughed lightly. "That's exactly what I was thinking," Seto agreed.

Although he had at one point wanted a family with Joey, before Joey returned Seto was pretty certain that he didn't need Joey around in order to take care of Dray. And while Seto wasn't sure if he'd ever really wish for Joey to have those years back (he didn't want to lose his strong bond with his son). He knew now that even when he was at his strongest, he had ALWAYS wanted Joey back.

* * *

The day Ryou had his baby he requested that Yugi be in the room with him, Bakura and the doctors. Ryou wanted Yugi to be there so the little man knew Ryou was okay.

Ryou had to take the necessary pain killers to reduce the pain of the c-section but he still remained mostly aware of what was going on around him. Yugi held his hand.

Bakura puked several times at the excitement and at the sight of someone else causing his hikari to bleed. He was worried about the loss of blood because he remembered that Joey had passed on because he had lost too much blood.

Bakura's eyes widened at the lump they pulled out of Ryou. The doctor's had to induce a cry from the infant but other than that the baby was perfectly healthy. Bakura even cut the umbilical cord. Then he followed the doctor with the bloody, screaming, demon, as Bakura referred to the baby.

"Are you feeling okay, Ryou?" Yugi asked wiping his friend's brow.

"I am. Thanks Yugi," Ryou was stitched back up and cleaned before he saw the baby or Bakura again. He was wheeled into the recovery room behind the pair and transferred to the bed. Then the doctor brought the baby over, Ryou was careful when the baby was placed in his arms.

Bakura bounded over and sat next to the pair in the bed. "She's so cute, huh Ryou. I already got to hold her. And clean her a little bit."

The nurse giggled softly and handed Ryou the bottle. "We've found that it's good for male mother's to feed their baby's. It helps strengthen their bond."

Ryou nodded. "I'm going to get everyone in the waiting room," Yugi chirped.

Ryou smiled at Yugi he knew it would be good to not keep the other boys waiting. Bakura leaned in close to watch Ryou as he coaxed their baby to eat. The nurse set about making adjustments until Ryou was successful and a herd of friends entered the room.

"Bakura!" Dray wiggled from Seto's arms and raced to Bakura's side of the bed, "That was fast!"

Bakura raised a brow, "It took nine months."

"We just got here." Joey explained. "Picked Dray up ten minutes ago."

"Oh," Bakura reached down to drag Dray onto the bed.

"Good job, Bakura," Yami congratulated

Ryou pouted, "Bakura didn't do anything."

"I think you did a good job," Joey ruffled his hair. Besides Yami, Yugi, Seto, Dray and Joey; Tristan, Duke, Tea, serenity, Mokuba, Marik, and Malik were making themselves comfortable.

"What are you going to name her?" Tea asked cheerfully. She had come down from Odaiba to be supportive of her friends.

Ryou shrugged. "Bakura you should pick."

"Oh great that kid will remain nameless for longer than Dray was," Tristan joked. Bakura glared and Joey hit Tristan in the shoulder for teasing Seto. "Ow." Tristan whimpered.

"I'll think of a good name," Bakura insisted.

Dray leaned over to look more closely at the baby. The baby had stopped feeding and was squirming about watching Ryou and people around. "Does she do anything?" Dray asked.

"Well not really," Ryou whispered, "But she is alive and soon she'll be doing much more."

Dray leaned closer putting a hand on Ryou's stomach. "I like her."

"Good, you're going to help me take care of her?" Ryou asked.

"I'll play with her," Dray agreed.

Ryou giggled, "Bakura, do you want to hold her again?" Bakura agreed carefully taking his baby from Ryou. Dray squirmed around to get on Ryou's side and out of the way. This caused the blanket to come lose and fall to the floor. Yami picked up the blanket immediately standing back up to a gapping room.

Then a bubble of giggles came from Yugi and Ryou. The girls quickly joined. Bakura's eyes narrowed on Marik when he started to laugh. "Stop!"

Yami remained as calm as ever, "Bakura did you tell Ryou that the baby was a girl?"

"Yes." Bakura frowned taking the new blanket that Joey had retrieved from the baby bag. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ryou assured.

"Nothing!" Tea exclaimed, "You're going to let Bakura go around thinking that your son is a girl."

"A boy!" Bakura sweated. "But the doctor told us before he was born that it was a girl."

"That's why I'm not laughing." Yami explained. "I know that these machines are confusing."

"The doctor was wrong 'Kura. This baby is a boy," Ryou said sweetly.

"He has a penis," Dray agreed.

"I know he has a penis!" Bakura snapped. Dray flinched at the yell.

"I didn't know..." Bakura flushed, "I just thought that the doctor knew more than I did."

"That's usually a good bet. It is difficult however to see inside a person." Seto jested.

Joey went unnoticed when he picked Dray up from the bed. He moved back to the other side of the room and sat down in a chair. Joey comforted Dray silently as everyone else took turns looking and holding the baby.

* * *

"Mokuba I'm so bored," Marik whined a few hours later. He was playing with the remote for the bed.

Ryou was feeding his son again and talking with Yugi, Tristan, and tea. The moving bed only slightly bothered him.

Mokuba looked up from his conversation with his brother, "Where's Malik?"

"I don't know." Marik whined some more.

"Marik you're making my baby sick!" Bakura punched him in the gut. Marik yelped and threw the bed remote at Tea's head.

"Tea, are you okay?" Yugi asked. The young woman was hit in the nose. She was now bleeding and half the room was giggling.

"I think, we better get going." Mokuba said. He politely said good-bye and dragged Marik out of the room.

"But what about Malik?" Marik's whined even though he didn't honestly care.

"I think we should go too," Seto said. Tea also thought about leaving until Yugi offered to help her clean up.

"Bye Ryou, bye baby-Yukiru," Dray hugged both. He was still upset that Bakura had yelled at him so he didn't say good-bye to him. Joey said good-bye to the generally group and Seto didn't bother. Seto held the door open for Joey and Dray. Joey had a bouncing smirking Egyptian hi his arms as soon as he left the room.

"Doctors are such sadists! He wanted to stick needles in me and give me a hand job." Malik gestured his thumb in the direction of the doctor.

"Malik, Mokuba already went home," Joey tugged Malik off of him. "He and Marik are probably making out in the limo."

"What?!" Malik pouted.

"Dad what's a hand job?" Dray asked innocently taking Seto's hand.

Seto narrowed his glare on Malik. The Egyptian darted away ignoring the glare with practiced ease.

"It's a sex thing," Joey explained.

"Ew," Dray made a face. "Do you do that with Dad?"

"No," Joey reassured. "He spends too much time kissing me."

"Ew," Dray giggled. Joey laughed as well.

They exited the hospital. Seto hung up his call to their driver. He couldn't help but smile at Joey and Dray's conversation.

"How did you like the baby?" Seto asked.

"He was okay. Bakura liked him." Dray said; after all, he as still unhappy with Bakura for yelling at him. So he sounded like he didn't care for the baby.

Seto lofted a brow. He didn't even remember the incident. "Are you jealous?"

"No, I'm not jealous," Dray huffed. He jumped into the limo crossing his arms bitterly over his chest.

Joey elbowed Seto warning him with a look. "Bakura's just excited. Babies need lots of attention," Joey explained.

"I know," Dray sighed leaning against the door.

"What happened?" Seto asked. He still didn't understand what was going on.

"Bakura yelled at me," Dray pouted.

"He did?"

"Right when Bakura realized that his child was a boy," Joey explained.

"Well he was just embarrassed, Dray." Seto sympathized.

Joey nodded in agreement. "But he could have yelled at one of us not our cute little boy."

"Joey," Dray wrinkled his nose at the kiss he received.

"Hmm," Seto agreed.

"You're not getting a kiss," Joey teased.

Dray leaned over Joey to give his dad the kiss Joey wouldn't give him. Seto smiled smugly at Joey.

"We're working today?" Dray asked when the limo stopped in front of Kaiba Corp.

"I'm just running up for a few minutes," Seto reassured.

"We'll be here for hours," Joey whimpered.

"You'll live pup," Seto got out of the lime on his side and the two males followed suit.

"Let's pester the front desk lady," Joey planned with Dray. Seto hurried to the office door. Joey and Dray took their time planning their office escapades.

"Kaiba!" A man stepped onto the sidewalk. Seto paused at the door looking at the man who had called him. He couldn't remember the man so he turned away and kept walking.

Dray however did recognize him, "Stop, Dad Stop!" He cried. It wasn't too long ago that this man had threatened his life. Seto didn't bother. He didn't believe that this man or any could be a threat to him.

"You ruined my life!" He yelled. A second later two shots rang out.

"Dray!" Joey reached for his son. Seto's attention was caught then. The gunman was gone in a near second. He used Seto's limo to escape, Seto's driving being an accomplice.

"Dray, Dray," Seto knelt on the sidewalk. He carefully adjusted the boy so that he was holding him gently. It was clear that he had been shot once in the gut. He was bleeding profusely, staining his shirt. Joey stood to call for an ambulance.

"Dad it hurts." Dray whined.

"It's going to be okay," Seto tried to reassure.

"Daddy," Dray didn't know how to explain the pain he was in. He wanted to believe that he was okay like Seto told him. "Dad, I love you."

Seto coughed back tears. He felt helpless, worried, and panicked. He recalled a scene similar to this. "Dray, be quiet." He ordered not because he believed that staying quiet would help Dray but it would help him.

Joey finished talking to the dispatchers. He knelt beside Seto torn between comforting Seto and helping his son.

"Joey?" Dray grabbed his hand. "Is it okay? Can I call you Mom?"

"Sure Dray. I would like it if you called me mom." Joey squeezed his hand. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Dray even as he withered in pain. "I love you, Dray."

"Joey?" Seto was worried about how he was acting. It was deterred when Dray gasped for a breath. "Dray you need to relax. Just calm down you need to be okay."

"Dad it hurts." Dray explained. He squirmed from the pain.

"Dray, hold on. Joey, do something." Seto desperately grabbed for any help he could think of.

Joey pulled his shirt off and pressed it to the bullet hole. It was over flowing with blood and Joey hoped that he could stop it.

"Daddy," Dray squeezed his arm. "I don't want to hurt."

"Dray shh sweetheart. Help is coming just hold on. I can't lose you," Seto spoke as tears fell from his cheeks.

Dray closed his eyes taking a shaky breath, "Daddy I'm sorry."

"Dray! Dray!" Seto shook him hard. "Dray! Son."

"Seto," Joey tried to drag him away his hysteria was not helping. The paramedics had arrived and Seto wouldn't let them near him. "Let them help. Let them save him."

"Joey," Seto hissed. He trusted Joey finally letting his grip on Dray go. "My little dragon."

"Seto, I'm sorry." Joey wrapped his arms around Seto's waist embracing the weeping man.

"I love him. I love him. I don't, he can't leave. Please, I love him." Seto sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Seto."

The end.

* * *

A/N: I hope that ended on an angst note. Whether or not Dray survives is up to what the reader really wants. I felt bad about doing this, but I thought it would be poetic to make the fic come full circle. I may try to find a beta for this fic now that it's finished. That way I can clean up the grammar and sentence structure. 


End file.
